We turn to a book that many pastors rarely preach from or study much anymore. The book of Revelation is rich in symbolism that can be difficult to understand. However, the images in this text are easy to understand. The 24 elders, a combination of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 disciples, symbolize the whole people of God offering up praises to God. The One sitting upon the throne is God. The lamb is Jesus. The great multitude is those who have gone through the great ordeal, and yet remained loyal to God. They dressed in white robes, symbolizing victory and purity. The four living creatures symbolize all creation that offers its praises to God.
We also turn to a topic that we rarely talk about anymore. This is a vision of heaven. We talk so little about heaven. This is a dramatic change from many years ago. Critics accused the churches of offering a "pie in the sky, by and by." Sadly, preaching concerning the hope of heaven became an excuse for tolerating injustice and suffering on earth. The result was that many of us began to emphasize the here and now. We asked, "What does Christianity have to say to the world in which you and I live?" Though I can identify with that, I believe that eventually we must answer the question: Is there a "pie in the sky" or not? Is there something beyond the realities of this world for which we hope, or is this world all that there is?
9 After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count. The contrast between the two visions that one can count the people involved in verses 1-8, but not in this vision. This means that those who will go through tribulation on earth merge with the innumerable people in heaven.[1] In the end, such distinctions will not matter, so we must not have undue anxiety in our finite time here with whatever distinctions heaven might include. In the end, supreme happiness will be the lot of all (John Wesley). The people come from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white. White robes symbolize victory and purity. Their victory was in not allowing the seductions of sin to win their lives. The robes are a gift of God in 3:5 and 6:11. Here, the free choice of human agents bestows them. Some commentators find precedence for this dress in the appropriate garb worn for first-century temple worship. These white garments are the official robes along which they receive a new being and are both empowered for and engaged to a corresponding current activity. One who puts on these clothes become, in 2:14, the bearer of a name that corresponds to this true reality that God enters into the book of life (3:5, 13:8, 17:8).[2] When a young novice joined a monastery in the Middle Ages, he received a monk’s cowl. The elders made all the monk’s robes in one size. A young man, wearing the large robe of an adult monk, looked ridiculous. Yet, given time, over the years, the young man would grow into the cowl. One day it would fit him perfectly. When we receive baptism, God clothes us in the big name, “Christian.” It may seem ridiculous placing such a large name on someone. Yet given time, by the grace of God, we shall grow into the name. One day it will fit us perfectly. We shall be as we profess.[3]The people also appear with palm branches in their hands. Some commentators see the palm frond tradition rooted in the Jewish celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. Others have combined the two images of white robes and palm branches into a general symbol of victory among the faithful ones. John Wesley, in his notes, says that there is an inconceivable variety in the degrees of reward in the other world. He does not want the slothful one to say, "If I get to heaven at all, I will be content." Such an approach may lead to letting go heaven entirely. He observes that in worldly things, people are ambitious to get as high as they can. Christians have a far more noble ambition. The difference between the very highest and the lowest state in the world is nothing to the smallest difference between the degrees of glory. Despite this, he concludes his comment: But who has time to think of this? Who is at all concerned about it? In the end, we will all be happy to be part of this multitude. 10 They cried out in a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God. Commentators who see white robes and palm fronds as victory symbols question the NRSV's literal translation here. One can also use soteria to convey a general sense of "victory," or to describe a vindicating moment (compare with Philippians 1:19). In this hymn-like scene of triumph, such an interpretation is certainly possible. Victory then belongs to the one who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!" 11 And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God. This hymn reintroduces a crowd of heavenly actors. “Angels” now accompany these elders and “living creatures,” already described in chapter 4. The sense of an unmitigated divine victory still directs the praise of these heavenly beings. This vision occurs after six of the seals of judgment have unleashed horror upon the earth. This vision provides an insight into what lays beyond judgment. Thus, the vision now includes seven ascriptions of praise to God, 12 singing, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen." The author marks relief from the harrowing revelation of the seven seals by seven ascriptions possessed by God. 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" The third unit, verses 14-15, opens with a formulaic question-answer moment between the visionary and the vision. In both Jewish and Greek pedagogical tradition, it was customary for the teacher to ask the student a question that only the teacher knew how to answer. 14 I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The answer the teacher now reveals about the identity of the white-robed worshipers may be confused for contemporary readers by an inaccurate translation of the verb's tense. The past tense rendering "who have come" in verse 14 has suggested to some that this was a vision of faithful Christian martyrs persecuted under Roman law (e.g. by Nero or Domitian). “Great tribulation” may refer to the destruction of Jerusalem. It could also refer to the trials that precede the end of the world. In any case, the great ordeal is the grim conflict of loyalties. The past tense translation of the verb, however, is not wholly accurate. The verb "to come" has a more progressive meaning. This entire passage, a momentary hiatus from the horrendous visions revealed by breaking the seven seals, is more concerned with describing how things should be and will be than with events already past. The multitude of white-robed celebrators represents all faithful Christians who survive the tribulations because of God's loving protection. These who have "washed themselves" may have joined battle with a warrior Messiah or died a martyr's death. Verses 15-17 are set forth in a series of three-line stanzas. In both form and content, these final verses remind us of traditional Hebraic prophetic literature. 15 For this reason, they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. 16 They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; 17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Just before the holy smoke and thunder that usher in the terrible visions of the seventh seal, traditional images and forms that held out divine hope comforted first-century Christian believers. Again, the flexibility of Greek verb tenses can make these final words of comfort even more vital to their audience. The temple became a metaphor of the community of the new covenant. In this passage, God calls the people of God to a priestly office, serving God day and night. The text repeats much of the image in Isaiah 49:10, where prisoners are free, and will no longer be hungry or thirsty, and they will receive shade from sun and shelter from the wind. There are good grammatical arguments for suggesting that the future tenses declared in verses 16-17. We would understand more correctly "They will hunger no more," "God will wipe away every tear," by appearing in English in the emphatic present. Thus, the seer declares God does dwell with them, believers do not hunger or thirst, and God does wipe away all tears. These words have brought comfort to many over the years. The connection of these verses with 21:3-4 confirm that we are reading a prolepsis of the end.[4] Now they rest from their labors. Now they are in the presence of the great shepherd who wipes away all tears and guides them to the waters of eternal life. Note that these saints, robed in white, are in a great processional, a great parade moving around the throne of God. You and I today are part of that long, more than 2,000-year processional moving toward the lamb. The Lamb will guide us to the springs of the water of life. The saints are those who walk before us, those who show us the way.
I should note that the Scofield Bible presents a different view of matters than I will present. For it, the great tribulation is the period of unexampled trouble that Chapters 11-18 predicted. Involving in a measure the whole earth Revelation 3:10 it is yet distinctly "the time of Jacob's trouble" Jeremiah 30:7, its vortex Jerusalem, and the Holy Land. It involves the people of God who will have returned to Palestine in unbelief. Its duration is three and a half years, or the last half of the seventieth week of Daniel. The elements of the tribulation are:
(1) The cruel reign of the "beast out of the sea" Revelation 13:1 who at the beginning of the three and a half years, will break his covenant with the Jews (by virtue of which they will have re-established the temple worship, Daniel 9:27 and show himself in the temple, demanding that he be worshiped as God ; Matthew 24:15 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
(2) The active interposition of Satan "having great wrath" Revelation 12:12 who gives his power to the Beast Revelation 13:4 Revelation 13:5.
(3) The unprecedented activity of demons Revelation 9:2 Revelation 9:11 and
(4) the terrible "bowl" judgments of Re 16.
According to the Scofield Bible, the great tribulation will be, however, a period of salvation. An election out of Israel is seen as sealed for God in Revelation 7:4-8 and, with an innumerable multitude of Gentiles Revelation 7:9 are said to have come "out of the great tribulation" Revelation 7:14 . They are not of the priesthood, the church, to which they seem to stand somewhat in the relation of the Levites to the priests under the Mosaic Covenant. The return of Christ in glory immediately follows the great tribulation, and the events associated in Matthew 24:29-31, in which cosmic powers tremble and the Son of Man will arrive and fill the skies.
Suffering is so much a part of human life. One can hardly imagine human life without it. Certainly, suffering is deeply engrained in nature. Living things are born, eat other living things, and die. If that were not difficult enough, we inflict suffering upon self and others through our sin. One of the beauties revealed in the Book of Revelation is that through it all, God will preserve us. This world is not all there is. God has an eternity planned for us, engaged in worship and praise, wiping away every tear.
This passage invites us to reflect upon our destiny and thus upon heaven and eternal life with God. I do not think it too negative of a view of most of us today that we are firmly rooted in this earth. We bind ourselves firmly to the earth. We may well need to loosen the ties of this world by strengthening our bond with eternity. The vision contained in this passage can console us in the loss of friends and family, of course. Those who have fallen asleep have not perished. Far from losing life, they have gained the fullness of their lives. The dangers of this life are gone. They surround the throne of the one who sits on the throne and the Lamb. Thoughts of eternal life can inspire, encourage, and strengthen us to lead lives worthy of that divine election and calling. The passage makes it clear that the joy and blessedness of eternity comes for those who have endured the suffering of the great tribulation. Thus, they were not necessarily fortunate on earth! They are there because the Lamb was slain for them.
I would note that the multitude in Revelation sees this brightness because they gather around the throne of God in worship together. In that time to come, that throne is the place where they get their questions about life answered. However, what John’s vision shows us is that in that place of worship, they jointly perceive what they need to know, that the Lamb is their shepherd. As we live on this side of eternity, what we need to know is that God is still here in this life, that God has not left us, and that the Lamb is our shepherd as well. Moreover, corporate worship can bring us that assurance; it can give us a glimpse of the divine perspective. It is significant that we do not go to church for private devotions. We go there as part of a congregation, and we get some of the uplift we need from fellow worshipers. Therefore, it is no wonder that in the eternal age to come, the author does not describe those gathered around God’s throne one by one but as an uncountable multitude. They grew to be so many because they were already following Jesus in company with each other when they were on this side of eternity. However, standing here among the people of God, in the place of worship, we can sense the truth: that good is stronger than evil, that there is something that nothing can take from us because God has given it to us. Furthermore, we together know that nothing — nothing — can separate us from the love of God.
In one sense, the church is always changing as it moves into new cultures and new generations. In another sense, the church is always out of step with the times in which it seeks to minister. At its best, it seeks to be faithful to the apostles who founded it and the faithful have continued throughout the centuries. It can be frustrating to see church buildings with ancient symbols and clergy wearing robes with symbols that no longer gain immediate recognition. The music is not from the top ten. The book from which it reads is ancient. The church is full of old words and old ideas. “We never did it that way before” may well be the seven last words of a dying church. At the same time, the church always needs to consider the new considering its faithfulness to the old. Whether or not the new still looks like the church of the apostles ought to matter to us. Yet, it also looks to the future with the hope of the people of God gathered from across generations and cultures to offer praise and worship to God.
One lecture by a distinguished professor of jazz found it difficult to talk about the craft of jazz, its complexity, and its dependence on individual originality. However, when someone asked him, "Who are your models?" he immediately listed the names of famous pianists, saxophonists, and drummers. He spoke of his mentors with such reverence. He spoke of sitting for hours in a piano bar studying nothing but the fingers of a pianist's left hand. He says that a jazz artist must spend at least a couple of decades in rigorous imitation of others before that person can hope to be original.
I have found it much the same with teaching and preaching. Reading is like allowing persons from the past to become your mentor for a while. Teaching and preaching recognize that the only way this generation can make advances is to instill in our minds and hearts what past generations of known.
In other words, all thinking is a kind of apprenticeship, submitting oneself to the discipline of the thought of another person before you have interesting thoughts of your own. We are dependent on those who have gone before us to give us the words, tell us the stories, and teach us the tunes whereby we praise God, grow in our faith and commitment, and find the way that leads to God.
Revelation 7:9-17 speaks of heaven as a great multitude so large that no one could count them. They are those who, having sung God's songs on earth in their lifetimes, now sing that song before the throne of the lamb for all time. When asked, "Who are these?" the angel tells John that they are the ones who passed through great ordeals and yet were faithful. They kept believing, and hoping, witnessing, and giving, even when the going got rough. Now they rest from their labors. Now they are in the presence of the great shepherd who wipes away all tears and guides them to the waters of eternal life.
Note that these saints, robed in white, are in a great processional, a great parade moving around the throne of God. You and I today are part of that long, more than 2,000-year processional moving toward the lamb. The Lamb will guide us to the springs of the water of life. The saints are those who walk before us, those who show us the way.
The Bible includes some silent partners — spiritually speaking. Their support is not of the financial variety. These partners are a great multitude, from every nation, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white. They are what the Apostles’ Creed calls “the communion of saints.” They stand behind us, the present-day church, quietly lending support in ways of which we’re only dimly aware. As long as there is a communion of saints — and the promise of Revelation is that their heavenly witness is eternal — we are never lacking in spiritual capital. They are our silent partners. Awareness of their presence can be a source of strength.
Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary says they will not perform again as a trio. Mary Travers has been battling cancer and Yarrow tells WTOP Radio in Washington, “The band will not be able to perform live again, in the absence of some kind of medical turnaround, which is unexpected.” He says Travers is on oxygen and in a wheelchair, but they still get together as friends. Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey are continuing to perform without Travers. Yarrow says they don’t sing Travers’ part and he’s delighted when the audience sings it for them.[5]
I would not be here today if it were not for all those saints who put up with me in Sunday school and told me the stories of Jesus, who taught me in a college religion class, and guided me when I was confused, and put their arm around me when I wanted to give up. I am thinking of a multitude that I could not possibly name today, I think of the faith, hope, and courage of my mother. I think of Joe, Ed, Wayne, Dwayne, Robert, Bill, and on and on. I expect that you are also thinking about the people who put you here today, the saints who nurtured you in this faith and to whom you owe your commitment to Christ.
We give thanks for these saints, all of them, and acknowledge our indebtedness to them. We give thanks for the saints who surround the throne of the lamb. Name them, claim them, give thanks to God that they were there for you.
Teddy Roosevelt went on a hunting expedition in Africa after he had been president for two terms. When he got on the ship that would take him back to the States, to home, there was a great celebration. Two other people got on that ship. Two missionaries who had spent the last 20 years serving Christ in Africa. It had been a long and hard service. When the husband observed how Teddy Roosevelt was treated, he was discouraged. He said to his wife that those years of service were lost, because look at who gets the praise. They went across the ocean, and when they landed in the States, there was another great celebration as Teddy Roosevelt had come home. It was also time for the two missionaries to get off the ship. The husband again said that they should not have wasted their lives the way they did. By this time, the wife was upset, so she told him to go to his room and pray. When he was done, he came out of the room. "What did the Lord tell you," she asked. "The Lord told me that it is OK. You are not home yet."
I conclude with a prayer.
[1] Bruce Metzger (Breaking the Code, 1993)
[2] Barth (Church Dogmatics, IV.4, p. 7)
[3] Inspired by Zwingli.
[4] Michel (TDNT, Volume 4, 888)
[5] —From a 2009 Associated Press news article, “No More Live Performances for Peter, Paul and Mary; Mary Travers has been battling cancer.” No longer available online. (Travers died later that year.)
liked the challenge to grow
ReplyDeleteEven in my retirement, I am still growing. It is an amazing thing, i think, to keep seeing ourselves as in need of growing toward something we are not yet.
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