Worship the King

This week, we begin a new sermon series entitled “How to Prepare for the King.” The weeks leading up to Advent are opportunities for us to get ourselves ready to celebrate Jesus coming into the world for the first and second time. Our focus over these next few weeks will be on Jesus’ Second Coming and how best to prepare our hearts so that we can be ready at all times because we do not know the hour or day when this will happen.‌

Revelation 7 comes in between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals. John turns from the destruction befalling the world to a picture of worship in heaven. The six seals that have already been broken represent the preliminary events to the end or the “beginning of woes” characterized by Jesus in Matthew 24:8 - “All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” Breaking the seventh seal will open the scroll that tells the story of the end itself and the events that will occur amidst the struggle between the church and the Antichrist. ‌

Before John tells the story of this vision, he pauses to paint a picture that is essential to the background of the vision. There are several of these moments throughout his vision. The church stands on the threshold of her time of great tribulation. The church is reassured that God will safely see her through this terrible ordeal. When the sixth seal is broken in Revelation 6:17, all the world cries out, “For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”‌

The answer to the question is given in chapter 7. Those whom God has sealed will be safely preserved from the outpouring of divine wrath. The judgments against the earth are reminiscent of the plagues of Egypt, where the Israelites were present for plagues, but they were not affected by them. The Bible does not teach that the church will be gone from the earth in a secret rapture during this time of judgment. The church is present and will endure the judgment without harm because God seals us. ‌

Revelation 7 gives a picture of two multitudes worshiping God. The first in verses 1-8 is before the tribulation. The second multitude of our passage today is after the tribulation. More than likely, those who are worshiping in the scene are those who have died during this time by martyrdom. Although, it is not completely clear. However, these individuals are present in heaven before the coming of Jesus. One of the primary reasons Christians will be martyred during the tribulation is because they will not worship the beast. They continue to worship Christ even though the Antichrist sets himself up to be a so-called god and object of worship according to 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4.

The worship displayed for us comes as the church faces persecution and insult by the world. It reminds us that the purpose of worship is more significant than we expect. Today, we look at how we can attune our hearts to worshiping King Jesus. We do so by turning to a moment of interlude in the book of Revelation.

1. Worship is eternal. (vs. 9-12)

The vision in verses 9-12 comes in the consummated Kingdom of God after the throne of God has descended from heaven to dwell with men (Revelation 22:3). John looks forward to picturing a situation that will happen later. God has declared victory over the powers of darkness, and his people worship him for eternity. God has brought salvation to those who profess him as Lord. The vision not only includes humanity from every nation but also the twenty-four elders and the angels.

In Psalm 86:9, the psalmist declares that God is so great that one day, all the nations will worship him. In this prophetic vision, John sees this coming to pass because God has saved his people and protected them. This vision sees the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham that his offspring will be as numerous as the stars in the heavens. Jews and Gentiles come to worship God for all eternity.

When we come to worship, we come so that we can practice what we will be doing for eternity. We worship because of what God has already done for us in salvation. We worship because God will be with us through every trial and tribulation we encounter. Our singing and praising are a dress rehearsal for what we see in Revelation 7. We are part of this multitude who will praise God for the victory he has won through Christ over Satan. We celebrate this right now because Satan has already been defeated through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus already sits on the throne. This vision helps us to see that what we do now in this place is precisely what we will be doing when the kingdom of God is fully consummated, and we are in his presence forever.

2. Worship strengthens us. (vs. 13-14)

After John sees the great multitude worshiping around the throne, one of the elders asks if he knows who these individuals are. John does not know. So, the elder reveals the identity of the multitude. They are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation and have been made pure because they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb.

The background for this verse is found in Daniel 12:1 - “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.” It is also referred to by Jesus in Matthew 24:21. In Daniel, the tribulation comes because there is persecution against the saints for being loyal to God. John’s reference to the great tribulation consists of pressures to compromise faith. What is interesting in Daniel, Matthew, and Revelation is that this pressure comes from within the church community through seductive teaching and from without through overt oppression. The persecution can be economic or could include imprisonment and death. Whatever the nature of the tribulation it will be greater than anything we have ever experienced. All the while, there will be judgment coming to unbelievers.

So what do we do in response? We must understand that although John is talking about a specific time in history when there will be extreme persecution against the church, there is what is called “soft persecution” going on right now.

We have experienced it over the past several years as we left the United Methodist Church. I experienced it as a pastor in the UMC by being punished by the higher-ups because I stood on the word of God. Seminaries, bishops, and pastors across denominations teach seductive doctrines that are against God’s word and try to synchronize postmodernism with the bible.

Our culture rejects the biblical Christ. In his place is raised up identity politics and moral relativism. Those who stand with Christ are ostracized, cancelled, or sued by groups whose feelings are hurt.

God knows our afflictions. The psalmist says in Psalm 10:17 “O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear.” In our times of affliction, God strengthens us. God gave the saints the strength to endure the harsh persecution of the great tribulation. He will give us strength now. Worship is the place where that strength is undergirded. Through our worship of God, we focus on him and his strength. We can trust in him because he is a God that never leaves or forsakes his people. We come into his presence with thanksgiving and praise because he is worthy. It is in him we can rest so that we can have the strength to endure whatever Satan may try against us.

3. Worship comforts us. (vs. 15-17)

‌As the vision of worship in heaven comes to an end, John is told that those who worship around the throne are comforted because they are in the presence of God. Jesus is on the throne. Therefore, the afflictions that befell the saints during the great tribulation have ended. Around the throne, hunger, thirst, and scorching heat will be no more.

Jesus is the shepherd that leads them to the living water, and all their tears will be wiped away. John comes back to this image later in chapter 22 when describing the new heaven and new earth in greater detail. This also reflects the words of Psalm 23 that the shepherd leads us beside still waters and restores our souls.

‌This image of restoration and comfort resonates throughout history. The eternal reward that awaits the faithful is part of the hope that we have even in times of hardship and tribulation. The life of the Christian is not easy. There will be times when it will be difficult and costly. Being faithful to Christ in times of persecution and tribulation can be joyful. When the apostles were beaten because they were preaching the name of Jesus, they left their oppressors rejoicing and praising God. Their worship gave them comfort.

‌Isaiah 49:10 is a vision of what will be after intense persecution: “They shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.”

‌We must rest in this same promise as God’s people. We are going to face hardships in this life. We may be the generation who enters the time of the great tribulation. The question for us is whether we will be faithful. Will we rely on his strength? Our worship and our focus on Christ and not the circumstances of our lives are what will comfort us in times of sorrow. When we are in God’s presence through worship, the things of this world are not necessary. Our lives are not as important. What is important is Christ above all things. He is our hope. He provides what we need in good and bad times. We will be comforted by his mighty hand.

Worshiping the King of kings and Lord of lords is the lifestyle of the Christian. As we await his coming again, our focus on Jesus, above all other things, gives us the proper perspective for life. The first question of the Westminster Catechism says, “What is the chief end of man?” The answer? “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” We were created for worship. However, because of sin, we naturally worship everything other than God because our nature repudiates God. But as a follower of Christ, our perspective changes. We align with our created purpose. When we are aligned with the purpose for which we have been created, namely worshiping God, that worship brings strength and comfort to us in times of joy or hardship. It is practice for what we will be doing for eternity. The vision of Revelation 7 shows us our eternal position - around the heavenly throne praising the One who has given us salvation - Jesus Christ our Lord and King.