A Multitude Before the Throne

As you’ve probably noticed, we’re skipping some significant chunks of Revelation in this series. To summarise: when we left off last week, we saw that Christ, the Lamb of God, has conquered and is worthy to open the scroll on which is laid out God’s plan. Since then, the lamb has opened the first six of the seven seals and some of the most familiar imagery from Revelation has occured: the four horsemen, the sky turning black and the moon red like blood, earthquakes and falling rocks, and the wrath of God. One hundred and forty thousand servants of God from the twelve tribes of Israel were “sealed” on their foreheads. And now, we rejoin John in the area before God’s throne. And the number of participants in this scene grows ever larger as we add in

Revelation 7:9–10 NRSV

a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.

Now where have we seen palm branches before? The reader’s mind may well turn to Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, when the crowds waves palms and laid them at his feet - a symbol of victory and triumph, echoing the earlier victory of the Macabbees over Antiochus Epiphanes, when the people entered jerusalem waving such branches.

Similarly, white robes were worn by Roman generals in the parades celebrating their military triumphs.

This, then, is a crowd gathered to celebrate a mighty victory.

And what does this victorious crowd have to tell us today?

God has a plan, and we should join Him

Notice two things about this crowd: firstly, that it is unnumbered: whereas we had four living creatures, twelve elders, and thousands of angels now we have a multitude that nobody can count. Secondly, that this multitude is taken from all of humanity: every nation, every tribe, every people, every langugage.

Imagine if you will, a first-century Christian in the marketplace or other place of gathering of a large town or city. Alla round there would be people from across an empire that spanned continents, representatives of various cultures speaking in a variety of language. And imagine this person, like Paul in Athens, looks on this crowd and desires to tell them all the good news, that they might turn to Christ. Wishes that they all could turn to the one who takes away their sins.

But because the church was being persectued, and being a Christian could be a death sentence, it wasn’t as simple as setting up a soapbox to preach from like the modern-day street preacher, or handing out tracts, or engaging in conversations with every passer-by.

Yet here God promises John that such a crowd will hear the gospel and respond to it. There will be an uncountable multitude that recieves the message. Even if it may at that time have seemed hopeless, that the risks preventing it were too great, one day things will be different.

This message to John was very clear: at a time when the church was still in its infancy, several thousand people scattered across the Roman Empire, God shows that one day it will grow to encompass an uncountable number from all the people’s of the world.

God’s vision is a multi-national, multi-lingual, multi-cultural, multi-generational, multitude crying out in worship to Him!

Equally clear is the message to us: that if God’s church is this great, diverse, multitude then we the church should reflect that. This is a call to us to look at the communities in which we live, and to recognise the diversity we see not as a barrier to communication and unity but rather as a celebration of the creative majesty of the one upon the throne! It’s a challenge to build a congregation which is radically inclusive.

A congregation which invites in those with whom we might not share a culture.

Or a first language.

Or a political party.

Those with whom we have theological disagreement.

Those who like different sports, or have strange hobbies.

Embracing and cultivating diversity in our faith community, refelcting the unity that John shows us in heaven.

A unity which promises comfort for all

Revelation 7:13-17

And they’re shouting a song of triumph:

Revelation 7:9–10 NRSV

“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

And this word salvation means a rescuing and a deliverance. God has delivered us from our sins through the sacrifice of the lamb, but He also delivers us from evil - just as we ask Him to every Sunday when we say the Lord’s prayer- and he delivers us from troubles and tribulations

To a church undergoing the great ordeal of persecution, the message is clear: God will deliver you out of this trouble. All will be well.

And to the church today the message is similar: all will be well.

Revelation 7:16–17 NRSV

They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; 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.”

The psalmist says, “the Lord is my shepherd, I will want for nothing; he makes me lie by still waters; he restores my life.”

Here the elder calls back to that psalm, and he emphasises that it is the lamb - Jesus Christ, the good shepherd - who is spoken of.

And then he expands on that: because Christ is the good shepherd, those who follow him will one day hunger and thirst no more and God will wipe away every tear and we will have all of eternity to worship God in His presence.

And so we are called to live in hope because we know that despite adversity we will triumph.

Despite hardships, the good shephard will bring us to ultimate victory over evil.

Despite pain and suffering that we may experience in this life, one day there will be no more tears and no more hunger and no more thirst - and that’s not just referring to a physical condition either. Remember the sermon on the mount: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. The good shepherd will ensure that not only our physical needs are satisfied but also our spiritual needs.

And once again, this promise of fulfillment and of relief and of an end to pain and sufferi and tears is one which is made to an uncountable and diverse multitude.

And I don’t think the emphasis that this multitude is from every tribe nation and tribe and people and language is purely a reassurance of the power of evangelism. Because notice that the diversity of the multitude is still recognisable in heaven. This multitude of saints has come through their great ordeal, and they’ve emerged on the other side with theit diversity intact.

They’re dwelling in the presence of the Lord and worshipping in diversity.

They’re being guided by the lamb, the good shepherd, united yet diverse.

So again, we see an emphasis on the need to embrace diversity - because doing so reflects here on earth the diversity that we’re going to see when Christ returns, and embracing diversity in worship reflects the eternal worship which we will one day partake in.

Now let’s finish off by turning to the gospel reading

Prepared Dwellings

John 14:2–3 NRSV

In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.

What a wonderful assurance. There are many dwelling places in God’s presence, and Christ has gone to prepare a place for us and he will come again to take us there.

And there are so many dwelling places that they can -and will - hold a multitude that no-one can count.

That’s what Christ has promised us.

And because he has promised us that, he tells us not to let our hearts be troubled.

He tells us to be at peace.

He tells us that although things may be difficult, challenging, upsetting, still we can have confidence that we have a place amongst that multitude.

A place where there will be no more pain and suffering or tears.

And that’s something worth celebrating.

More than that, it’s a challenge. If Christ is preparing dwelling places for an uncountable multitude, then we’re being challenged to go out and invite others to be a part of that multitude: after all, there’s no lack of space.

There’s room for everyone.

And so we’re challenged to recognise that there are no excuses for exclusion.

There’s no reason to shy away from diversity.

There’s no avoiding the call to extend God’s radical inclusion to all who will accept it.

And to ensure that everybody in our wider community received the opportunity of experiencing the peace that comes with knowing that all will be well, because salvation belongs to our God, and to the lamb.