“The Race Equalizer”

Revelation 7:9–17 (ESV)

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.”

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.

“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.”

Big Idea of the Series:

This three-week series biblically addresses the topics of both racial tension and gospel-centered reconciliation. It’s no stretch to say that the issue of race has become a hot topic recently. This teaching guide looks at the different ways the local church can better reflect the diversity of God’s Kingdom, listen to those who are different from us, and pursue justice in all areas of life.

Big Idea of the Message:

Salvation is for all people, regardless of nationality, race, or economic status. The local church should reflect this truth.

I Know Where He Is Going

I met, the other day, with a pretty story concerning Philip Henry, the father of Matthew Henry, the commentator. He wanted to marry the daughter of a gentleman who was one of his hearers. The father of the young lady said to her, “I have no personal objection to Mr. Henry; he is a good man, a Christian gentleman, but I do not know where he came from, so I cannot consent to your marriage with him.” “Well, father,” said the young lady, “though we don’t know where he came from, we do know where he is going, and I would like to go there with him.”

When I meet a genuine Christian, I may not know where he came from. He may have sprung, as men say, from the dunghill, his parents may have been the poorest of the poor, but what does that matter? I know where he is going, and that is a much more important consideration; he is going to the upper house where there are many mansions; he is going to the palace of the great King eternal, immortal, invisible, where the princes of royal blood are forever to bask in the sunshine of the presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords, and I would like to go with him that I may form one of that blessed company. #RaceMatters #WhenWeGetThere #LetsTalkAboutIt #CelebrateUnique

Segregation Still Exist

Martin Luther King, Jr. said Christians fail to live out the tenets of their faith. He said over sixty years ago that “We must face the fact that in America the church is still the most segregated major institution in America. At 11:00 on Sunday morning when we stand to sing and Christ has no east or wast, we stand at the most segregated hour in this nations. This is tragic.”

If we as a body of Christ are supposed to reflect the Kingdom of Heaven, and we’re not seeking diversity, have we missed the message of Revelation 7?

How many times have you heard someone say that they “don’t see color,” “are colorblind,” or “don’t have a racist bone in their body?” Maybe you’ve even said this yourself. After all, the dominant language around racial issues today is typically one of colorblindness, as it’s often meant to convey distaste for racial practices and attitudes common in an earlier era. Many sociologists, though, are extremely critical of colorblindness as an ideology. They argue that as the mechanisms that reproduce racial inequality have become more covert and obscure than they were during the era of open, legal segregation, the language of explicit racism has given way to a discourse of colorblindness. But they fear that the refusal to take public not of race actually allow people to ignore manifestations of persistent discrimination.

Let’s deal with the elephant in the room: “Sunday morning remains one of the most segregated hours in American life, with more than 8 in 10 congregations made up of one predominant racial group. It’s oxymoronic that people can play, shop, work, and travel together, while going our separate ways every Sunday morning between the hours of 8am-11am. Truth be told, most worshipers think their church is fine the way it is. Two-thirds of American churchgoers (67 percent) say their church has done enough to become racially diverse. And less than half think their church should become racially diverse. Researchers found that churchgoers are lukewarm about diversity. More than half (53 percent) disagree with the statement, “My church needs to become more ethically diverse.” Four in 10 agree. Researches also found churchgoers who oppose more diversity do so with gusto. A third strongly disagree that their church needs to be more diverse. More than 4 in 10 felt strongly their church was doing enough. Evangelicals (71%) are most likely to say their church is diverse enough, while Whites (37%) are least likely to say their church should become more diverse.

African Americans (51%) and Hispanic Americans (47%) were more likely to say their church needs to be more diverse. Shockingly, most churchgoers are content with the ethnic status quo in their churches. In a world where our culture is increasingly diverse, and many pastors are talking about diversity, it appears most people are happy where they are—and with whom they are. Most Americans believe diversity is good for the country. Three quarters of Americans say the country has made progress on race relations, but eight in 10 say there is still a long way to go. In my sanctified imagination, I believe Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. peered over the balcony of earth and glanced to see a better world for all men to enjoy to God’s goodness and freedom given for every man. The founding fathers of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787 wrote: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessing of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

America forgot about the disenfranchised, poor, and underserved they brought over or homegrown, when they penned these words because most of “America” looked like them. It would be in this same United States Constitutional Convention where they settled “our” worth, and they came up with the 3/5 compromise, where three out of every five slaves was counted when determining a state’s total population for legislation and taxation. Simply put, we counted toward the vote and couldn’t vote, and towards revenue we would never receive. Slavery polarized this young country to the point where civil war broke out. The southern states broke away to form their own “country” in the interest of protecting their right to slaves, which were the backbone of their economy. The northern states felt compelled to live out the words of both the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution that viewed men as equal. Abraham Lincoln, in September 22, 1862, issued the Emancipation Proclamation declaring all slaves free, and later in 1865, Congress passed the 13th Amendment that “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Yet, they did not understand that those same men found different ways to disenfranchise and keep the underserved in their “lane,” By the 1880’s the constitutional rights guaranteed to African Americas in the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments had begun to be curtailed. Segregation or separate-but-equal status for African Americans gradually became the norm. During the Jim Crow era, poll taxes and literacy tests kept the African-Americans from the polls. But today, felon disenfranchisement laws accomplished what poll taxes and literacy tests ultimately could not, because those laws were struck down. But felony disenfranchisement laws had been allowed to stand. The Texas Legislature passed the law requiring separate railroad coaches for African Americans. These and many other laws were called “Jim Crow” laws. Anne Deavere Smith said, “You know if we were to look back and how were in 1955 living in Jim Crow, living in segregation, living in segregated schools, its hard to believe that it was America, but it really was. “

Context of Revelation 7

John the Beloved disciple and “Son of Thunder” who leaned on the breast of Jesus at the table and was present with Mary at the cross as her son died is the writer of this apocalyptic book. He was present on the Sea of Galilee as he saw Jesus ascend back to the Father, filled with the Holy Ghost, boiled in a pot of oil, survived and exiled to the isle of Patmos. It would be here that John received visions of the future from Jesus Christ. The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ provides a wonderful picture of heaven, and a horrific picture of hell and the lake of fire. By this time, six of the seven seals were opened, each with a different results. The sixth seal caused a great earthquake, the sky to roll up like a scroll and caused kings, generals, rich and the powerful, free and slave to run and hide from the face of God “for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Vs. 17).

The great multitude gathered around the throne, dressed in white robes with palm branches in their hands worshiping God for salvation belonging to God. The saints wear white robes and hold palm branches before the Lamb. The palm branches is an allusion to the festival of Tabernacles. In the OT this was both an annual occasion of national thanksgiving for the fruitfulness of crops and a commemoration of Israel’s dwelling in tents under divine protection during the journey out of Egypt (Lev. 23:40, 43) and thus a reminder that Israel’s continued existence as a nation was tradable ultimately to God’s redemption at the Red Sea and victory over the Egyptians. John now applies this image to people from all nations, who rejoice in their latter-day exodus redemption, in their victory over their persecutors, and God’s protection of them during their wilderness pilgrimage through the great tribulation.

This vision occurs during the tribulation period between the sixth and seventh seals. This innumerable crowd appears after the final judgment takes place when the righteous enter at last into eternal life (Matthew 25:46). It is definite future and is a picture of what will occur after 22:3 when God’s throne comes down to be with men. This is a glimpse of the final state of bliss of believers given to encourage those who are about to suffer greatly. This vision portrays a time before the great tribulation and is given to encourage those who will suffer. What’s interesting about this multitude for John was not the number per se, but the fact that the multitude comprises people from every nation, tribe, people, and language have gathered in one place and on one accord.

God’s promised to Abraham and Jacob that he would multiply their descendants, “who will not be numbered for multitude.” Therefore, the multitude in Rev. 7:9 are the consulate fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise and appear to be another of the manifold ways in which John refers to Christians as Israel. However, I’m reminded that even now the world is still like the Temptation song, “segregation, determination, demonstration, integration, aggravation, humiliation, obligation to our nations, ball of confusion…evolution, revolution, gun control,….where the world’s headed nobody know…fear in the air, tension everywhere, unemployment rising fast…eve of destruction, tax deduction, city inspectors, bill collectors, population out of hand, suicide, too many bills….ball of confusion.” Rev. Al Sharpton said, “We have defeated Jim Crow, but now we have to deal with his son, James Crow, Jr., esquire. The Holy Spirit dwells and manifests himself for all men, not just for a particular race. The conversation of race reconciliation can’t begin until a conversation of accountability, forgiveness, and reparations precedes it.

The picture of God’s people at the climax of history portrays a multi-ethnic congregation from every tribe, language, people, and nation, all gathered together in worship around God’s throneThe visions of John in the book of Revelation give us a glimpse of the people of God at the consummation of history. The image he portrays is based on the fourfold formula of Genesis 10 (every tribe, language, people, and nation). The fourfold formula stresses the ethnic diversity of the people of God who worship him around the throne. This multi-ethnic image, where people of all races and ethnic groups are shoulder to shoulder worshipping God, portrays exactly the same unity of believers that Paul calls for in his epistles. It is a picture of the reality that will exist in the climactic kingdom of Christ, and, as such, provides a model for us to strive toward.

John sees the kingdom of Christ as a multi-ethnic congregation. Blacks, Whites, and all other races will be mixed together, united through the redemption of the Lamb and in their worship of God. For the Church to oppose such a reality in the life of the Christian community here and now is to oppose the direction toward which the Kingdom is designed to move. God’s plan is clear: he wants his people to be united across ethnic lines. When Christians oppose this, either actively through prejudice, or passively, by quietly supporting the status quo, they are truly in opposition to God’s plan for his Church. How much better it would be for the Church if we would but grasp the image of the people of God in Revelation and realize that the Church is made up of people from every nationality and race in the world. When Christians think of the concept ‘the people of God’ they need to visualize what John described: people of every tribe and every language and every people and every nation, all gathered around the throne, worshipping the Lamb together.

Our culture is strong and powerful. A ‘critical mass’ of active White Church membership that can overcome the pull of tradition and culture in the United States and make real progress in this area has not yet emerged. Yet the gospel continues to call us to put off the ‘old man’ and to be transformed in the renewing of our minds; to be reformed into a new humanity where racial equality is actualized. Earlier generations have failed miserably to obey the imperatives of Scripture that have been discussed above, denying both the theology and the practice of racial equality. The Baby Boomers, has had the truth presented to it more clearly and more powerfully than the earlier generations did. Most of us know the theological truth of racial equality, yet we waver and remain tentative. We know the theological truth about race, but we still have strong ties to the old ways of our culture and we are reluctant to venture out in trust into new sociological areas, where all races are equal in practice and not just in theory.

My hope lies in the next generation of Christians, aptly called ‘Generation X’. If parents, teachers, and pastors can proclaim this truth to the rising generation in a clear manner, I am optimistic that they can sever the ties with the ‘old man’ from our culture and make some real progress toward the vision of Christian unity that the Scriptures present. This generation is much more open to change, especially in regard to ethnic issues. It also has the zeal and the passion that will be required to effect any change in this area. What it needs is leadership: pastors, teachers, parents, and peers; people who will teach, challenge, rebuke, encourage, dream, and weep until the Church actualizes the unity that lies on the heart of our Lord.

Salvation is the Great Equalizer vs. 10

John Calvin said:

“No man is excluded from calling upon God, the gate of salvation is set open unto all men: neither is there any other thing which keepeth us back from entering in, save only our own unbelief.”

All of God’s children will be present at God’s throne, no matter the color of their skin, their nationality origin, salvation is the great equalizer because he delivered them all, and they died for the same Christ, the Lord of every race. We live in a world where races unite when tragedy strikes or a common cause. Before racial reconciliation can exist between races, racial reconciliation must occur within the races. Blatant racism, subvert and systemic racism exist because of faulty thinking and man’s heart toward God. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence wrote: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness...” This was July 4, 1776 as the colonies chose freedom over bondage. John paints a wonderful picture of racial unity reconciliation as they suffered for Christ. Yes, it is a future time but when we all get to heaven what a time it will be!! Yet, we crash back to reality where racial inequality still rears its ugly head, police brutality and profiling still occurs, systemic racism lives and breathes in society as people feel embolden to speak their true feelings. The penal systems enslaves while the government restricts the vote. The goal post continually moves back as we continue moving forward. We have conversations race but no change on race. We converse on social justice, but little to no change in how society issues out justice. Rather than “eliminating” our idea of color and race, how can we celebrate diversity? Notice how this passage doesn’t say that one loses their “race” in heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven is one of beautiful diversity.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke of his dream, yet the reality is some still live a racial nightmare. Yes, John paints a wonderful Picasso of what is to come, but truth is we live in conditions that desire to choke the life figuratively and literally out of racial reconciliation. Opal Tometi wrote: “Many thought that the abolition of slavery, the end of Jim Crow, and the legislative progress of the Civil Rights Era, among other watershed moments, would have fundamentally done away with the racist structures that have long oppressed black people. However, we know that had been far from the case.”

Salvation in the Greek is the word is soteria, from the root word “sozo” meaning to save, wholeness, preservation, deliverance, restoration, and healing. In the OT, salvation from enemies, but in the NT is usually used of salvation from sin and death through Christ. The them of praise here dwelt on victory, deliverance, and salvation—by those who have just emerged in triumph from the strife; for through one sense they have through martyrdom wrought out their own salvation, and now appear as victors before the throne, in another and deeper they know and proclaim that the victory, the deliverance is not their own achievement, but that of God and of the Lamb. The salvation here suggest this multitude had been delivered from the great tribulation (7:14), and also a general deliverance from sin. It refers to deliverance from sin, death and condemnation. It refers both to deliverance from persecution and to sin and its consequences. The multitude was all dressed in white, representing holiness, justification, bliss, victory, the righteousness of Christ; purity through testing. White robes are the dress of martyrs and the palm branches in their hands symbolizing joy; victory; purity; life and salvation. “The only color God sees for humanity is red.”

Worship is the Great Equalizer vs. 11-14

A. W. Tozer said:

“Any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven.”

The saints, gathered around the throne were joined by the host of angels, the elders, and the four living-beings as they engaged in worship of God. When God bring victory to your life, your response should always be worship. The word throne here is thronos, describing a relatively large and elaborate seat upon which a ruler sits on official occasions. Who was in front of them, and where He was seated created the moment for worship. Worship in Greek is proskyneo, meaning to prostrate oneself before someone as an act of reverence, fear, or supplication. It not only indicates a bodily position, but also an attitude and activity of reverence or honor. It is necessary to specify both semantic elements, but one or the other may be selected depending upon what seems to the be focus of attention.

No man has ever seen God at any point and time, yet we “color” God to fit our creed, culture and race. The beautiful picture of corporate worship emblazoned on the pages of the canon provides hope that at some point we will all just get along genuinely. The martyrs praise God and the Lamb for delivering them from the great tribulation, and when angels here this praise, they take the praise of the martyrs and make it their own while solemnly confirming it. They confirm the praise of the saints in 7:10. They provide an amazing eulogy to the God of their salvation and they confirm this praise with an Amen. Worshiping in concert with our brother and sister can jumpstart the move towards reconciliation. Worship creates a place where celebrating God is colorblind and all mankind joins the chorus of angels worshiping God. Worship has been misunderstood as something that arises from a feeling which ‘come upon you,’ but it is vital that we understand that it is rooted in a conscious act of the will, to serve and obey the Lord Jesus Christ.

D.A. Carson said:

“Worship is the proper response of all moral, sentient beings to God, ascribing all honor and worth to their Creator-God precisely because he is worth, delightfully so.”

God provides wonderful revelation in worship, and here the elder answers John’s question of those in the white robes. Where other see black and white, red is the only color that matters at this point. Those in the white robes just came out the great tribulation spoken by the prophet in Daniel 12; Matthew 24:21, and Mark 13:19, 1 Thessalonians and Revelation 3:10 that occurs before the end of the age. This refers to all the tribulation that believers have gone through from beginning. The songwriter said, through many dangers, toils and tribulations they had already come. Saints have come this far by faith, through many tribulations that tried to take them out, but they stand with their palm branches and white robes celebrating God’s salvation. The phrase “washed their robes and made white is not two different actions, but one action by Jesus. The figurative language is which whiteness symbolizes forgiveness of sins by means of Christ’s sacrificial death. The figure indicates that their ability to stand in God’s presence has been earned through the sacrifice of Christ. Witnesses refers to spiritual purity and the washing away of sins. This figure stresses the effectiveness of Christ’s atoning death. Blood can make sins believing in and receiving Christ’s sacrificial death for oneself. The blood of Christ symbolizes by metonymy the atoning death of Christ.

God’s Presence is the Great Equalizer vs. 15-17

Pope Francis said:

“Jesus no longer belongs to the past but lives in the present and is projected toward the future; Jesus is the everlasting “today” of God. This is how the newness of God appears to the women, the disciples, and all of us: as victory over sin, evil, and death—over everything that crushes life and makes it seem less human. And this is a message meant for me and for you, dear sister, you, dear brother. How often does Love have to tell us, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Our daily problems and worries can wrap us up in ourselves, in sadness and bitterness…and that is where death is. That is not the place to look for the One who is alive.”

David desired to dwell in the presence of the Lord all the days of his life, and I wonder do believer desire to dwell in God’s presence. Two important emphases can be found in this vision. First, these who have come out of the great tribulation are before the One who sits on the throne both day and night. To be constantly with someone who is the object of devoted love is reward indeed. To be constantly in the presence of someone who is not the object of one’s love could be tantamount to tribulation itself. So clearly these who have come out of the tribulation, like all true blood-bought believers in Christ, love the Lord with all their hearts and are delighted to be in his presence day and night. Furthermore, they serve him day and night. “Serve” is a translation of latreuō, which means more than just serve but also carries with it the implication of worship. Correspondingly, the One who sits on the throne spreads his tent over them, indicating acceptance, possession, and safety. The word skēnoō has the sense of pitching a tent and is used, for example, in the prologue to John’s Gospel where Jesus is said to have “made his dwelling among us” or “pitched his tent among us” (John 1:14). There is safety, protection, love, and acceptance in the presence of the One who sits on the throne.

The difficulties that encountered the saints of God during their lifetime on earth are never experienced again. Never again do they hunger, thirst, or experience the bewildering and debilitating heat of the scorching of the sun. These three immunities are only suggestive of the removal of the totality of all those things that inflict sorrow and difficulty on the saints of God during the great tribulation or any era. Now in the heavenly condition all that is removed.

Contemporary audiences in prosperous regions of the world have difficulty appreciating the promises of this verse. While millions wonder where food can be found, they alone can appreciate the promise of an adequate perennial supply of sustenance. In the Near East, ancient and modern, water can be more valuable than oil or gold. The ever-present searching sun and the paucity of fresh potable water is always foremost in the mind of the desert dweller or traveler. To imagine a circumstance of never experiencing thirst again would be heaven indeed. Doubtless, the provision of food and water portends essential spiritual satisfaction as well.

In v. 17 another of those unusual Johannine juxtapositions occurs in which the Lamb is, in fact, the shepherd. Shepherds take care of lambs, but lambs do not take care of shepherds. Nevertheless, in this case, the Lamb who has shed his blood for them is none other than the ultimate shepherd, and so he becomes the shepherd of the sheep from the tribulation period. The fact that he leads them to springs of living water is an indication of his provision. Every need is met. The thirst of every legitimate and holy desire is slaked. Furthermore, sorrows are eliminated also as every tear is wiped from their eyes. Some commentators have viewed this as a wiping away of the tears of joy. While that may not be entirely impossible, the emphasis here seems to be on the available comfort coming from the Lamb as a part of the heavenly package that includes provision. In fact, the Lamb who is the shepherd is seen as providing all that is needed through both provision and solace to those who lacked both provision and comfort in the midst of the great tribulation.

By way of practical application, every believer should note that what is presented to the eye in this passage is the promise of God—not for ultimate intervention in the present age but for perfect intervention in the age to come. The Bible makes clear that all will have tribulation and that all the godly in Christ will suffer. But while this period of time passes so quickly that it is called by the biblical writers nothing more than a vapor seen for a moment and then vanished, there is an eternal circumstance in which full provision and total solace will be provided by the Lord. Here believers labor in difficulty, there they rejoice with the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep.

The songwriter put pen to parchment in talking about that land where we all shall get along:

There’s a land beyond the river

That we call the sweet forever

And we only reach that shore by faith’s degree

One by one we’ll gain the purpose

There to dwell with kings immortal

When they ring those golden bells for you and me

Don’t you hear the bells ringing

Can’t you hear the angels singing

Tis the glory hallelujah jubilee

In that chorus sweet forever

Just beyond the shining river

When they ring those golden bells for you and me

We shall know no sin or sorrow

In that heaven of tomorrow

When our backs shall sail beyond the silvery sea

We shall only know the blessing

Of our fathers sweet caressing

When they ring those golden bells for you and me

When our days shall know their number

When in death we sleep in slumber

When the king commands the spirit to be free

Never more will anguish learn

We shall reach that lovely hill

When they ring those golden bells for you me

Oh I hear the ringing

Oh I hear the singing

Ti’s the glory hallelujah jubilee

In that hour of sweet forever

Just beyond the shining river

When they ring those golden bells for you and me

Oh when they ring those golden bells for you and me.