From Tribulation to Triumph: The Worship of the Redeemed

Ever felt like quitting? Just throwing in the towel and walking away? I don’t mean from life, but from laboring incessantly and struggling to see the worth and value of it?

Do you ever feel like the tears and sorrows and burdens and weight of life is too much to handle?

Do you ever struggle to know and see if anything different exists for the future?

If so, then Revelation 7 is a text of both hope and admonishment.

Hope in that all the suffering and toil and labor WILL indeed be worth it AND THUS, we ought to be admonished to remain faithful until the promised day of deliverance comes.

Galatians 6:9 ESV

9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Well, Revelation 7:9-17 is that due season.

It is the day when all the labor will be worth it all.

This makes Revelation 7:9-17 VERY personal. Because it does in fact involve us.

It is prophecy of a reality that is and will be.

It is a promise that shapes our purpose, our identity, and give us comfort in our earthly toil and struggle.

It challenges us to pick ourselves up, dust off the dirt, and live one step at a time, by faith, in the grace of God until faith becomes sight.

Revelation 7:9–17 ESV

9 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, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 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, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 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. 15 “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. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. 17 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.”

As we consider this text between this week and next, I want to draw our gaze to this:

Big Idea: The promise of our future standing before the Lamb should give hope and admonishment to stand in worship and service now.

The middle of this chapter pivots from the sealing of the 144,000, the halting of God’s wrath and judgement to allow us to behold, yet again, another worship scene in Heaven.

And in verse 9, we see the nations before the Lamb.

Body

The Nation’s Before the Lamb - Revelation 7:9

Revelation 7:9 ESV

After this…

New segment.

After the vision of the angels holding back judgement…

After the sealing of the 144,000 witnesses…

A new segment of the vision God is showing to John

A great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples, and languages…

Imagine, from John’s perspective what this view must have been like.

It is not his first vision into Heaven. Not his first worship scene.

BUT, it is the first one in which we see a great multitude that includes EVERY NATION, TRIBE, PEOPLES, and LANGUAGES.

Previously, it has been angels, creatures of terrifying description, elders (the church). But now, a new host will join the throng.

Remember, he has been isolated on Patmos and probably feeling somewhat alone in his exile. To see such a multitude that continues to expand and grow, has to be a thrilling experience for Him.

And to see that now, ALL NATIONS are represented here, it has to send a surge of thrill into his soul.

John has lived his life for the Gospel. He is exiled because of it. To see a vast host of saints, of all nations, standing before the Lamb, worshipping with utter abandon, is everything John has lived for.

He has seen Gentiles come to faith. That is not a new thing for him, but they have been persecuted, beleaguered, and small.

Of the churches in Revelation 2-3, many of which were Gentile, many had fallen into gross idolatry and false doctrine. To see what he is seeing now, to see the vision of so many faithful saints of all nations before the throne, worshipping, this has to be a thrill for him.

Throughout the centuries, we have seen tremendous responses to the gospel, incredible responses to the working of the Holy Spirit. We have seen great revivals break out.

Many are hopeful and encouraging that the response to Charlie Kirk’s assassination will provoke much of the same. They see it has already having done so.

I am praying it is so, resisting my own cynicism of people’s hearts and the media to pray in this hope, but I DO pray that this tragedy and horror, and the cries of those celebrating it, will spark a spiritual revival that will draw thousands to Christ in response.

What John is seeing now in Revelation is a revival of the highest and richest order. No revival in the history of creation will compare.

Thousands upon thousands WILL repent and believe, despite the opposition they will face from the antichrist, despite the persecution they will know, despite the death they will face. They will come. They will believe.

Too many to count.

ALL NATIONS

All Tribes

All languages

All peoples

Will be represented.

God is not willing than any should perish.

During this time of tribulation, God’s wrath and judgment will not only be amped up, but so will His grace to save.

So will the repentance and restoration of Israel

So will the repentance of the Gentiles.

God has long planned to save and redeem His people from their rebellion.

Israel Will Be Saved - Zechariah 12:10-14:21

Zechariah 12:10–14 – Israel’s National Repentance

God promises to “pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication” (12:10).

Israel will look upon the One whom they pierced—a direct prophecy of Messiah crucified—and mourn deeply in repentance, as over the loss of a firstborn son.

This mourning is corporate and nationwide (12:11–14), encompassing all tribes and families of Israel.

This is the moment Paul speaks of in Romans 11:26, “all Israel will be saved.”

Romans 11:25–27 ESV

25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; 27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

Paul here, is referring to Zechariah’s prophecy, which we will see be fulfilled here in Revelation.

Zechariah 13:1–9 – Cleansing and Refinement

A “fountain” will be opened for sin and impurity (13:1)—pointing to the cleansing power of Christ’s atonement.

God will remove idolatry and false prophets from the land (13:2–6).

Israel will pass through a refining fire: two-thirds will perish, but the third that remains will be purified, refined, and will finally say, “The LORD is my God” (13:9).

Zechariah 14:1–21 – The Return of Messiah and Kingdom Blessing

The chapter begins with the climactic battle when all nations gather against Jerusalem (14:1–2), which corresponds with the end of the tribulation.

Then the LORD Himself will stand on the Mount of Olives (14:3–4)—a clear prophecy of Christ’s return (Acts 1:11–12).

Living waters will flow from Jerusalem (14:8), symbolizing Messiah’s life-giving reign.

The LORD will be recognized as “King over all the earth” (14:9).

Survivors of the nations will worship Him in Jerusalem (14:16–19). Israel will be restored in holiness, and “there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD” (14:21).

Connection to Revelation 7:9–17

Here in Revelation 7 when we see a great multitude from every nation clothed in white, having come out of the great tribulation, worshiping the Lamb, Israel is, in part, reflected here.

Though we are not at the end of the tribulation yet…

Though we are not yet seeing national Israel’s salvation…

Some have believed and been martyred for it.

They are INCLUDED here, in the multitude that have died.

But they are not the only ones.

The Gentiles Will be Saved

God promises Abram that the Gentile nations would be blessed through him. Genesis 12:1-3

God chose Israel to be the nation through which the world would be blessed.

As God blessed Israel, the world would see and fear God. Psalm 67.

God’s blessing and provision for Israel was to be a witness to the world.

Psalm 98:3 reminds us that God chose Israel to be the vessel through which salvation would come to the world.

BUT

Time and time again, Israel failed to be a witness. They failed to reveal the glory and goodness of God to the world.

The Tribulation fixes that. During this time, the 144,000 (among others) would boldly testify to God and will be used to bring Jew and Gentile alike to repentance and faith.

In Isaiah 11, God promises the coming Messiah. He promises the restoration of Israel. But what’s more he reveals that He will also save the nations, the Gentiles.

Isaiah 11:10

Isaiah 11:10 ESV

10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

Paul quotes this in Romans 15:8-13 to emphasize that the salvation of the Gentile nations has always been part of His plan

Romans 15:8-13

Romans 15:8–13 ESV

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Isaiah 49:6 God reveals that the servant, Jesus Christ, will be, not only the salvation of Israel, but will be light to the nations, that the whole world would be saved.

Isaiah 49:6 ESV

6 he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

It is not enough for Israel alone to be saved. God wants the salvation of the world. We Gentiles have always been part of His plan.

In Isaiah 45:22, we are told to come to Him for salvation.

Isaiah 52:10, we are told that in Him, all the ends of the earth will see salvation.

Peter, in his famous sermon on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, quotes the profit Joel and reveals that before the great day of the Lord comes, he will pour our His Spirit on His people and they will prophecy and and have dreams and visions and WHOEVER calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

His Spirit will be poured out so that by their ministry the world, Jew and Gentile alike, will be given the opportunity to repent and believe.

Jesus Himself preached that the gospel of the kingdom would be preached to all nations and that all nations would come (Matthew 24:14)

Paul unequivocally declared that God is the God of the Gentiles too (Romans 3:29)

Point is, God has always promised to save the Gentile nations.

BUT, He always planned for Israel to be the source of that blessing and salvation.

And for sure, they are because the Messiah, the Savior came through them.

HOWEVER, it is more than that. God always planned for Israel to be witnesses to the world, to use them to declare Himself and that through their testimony, the world would believe.

They have failed in that task over and over again. Instead of being a testimony, they fell prey to idolatry and wickedness.

In the end, they will not fail. He will raise them up to be the witnesses He has always intended and multitudes will believe.

The nations we see worshipping here in Revelation 7 are testimony to His grace in restoring them that they might be the witnesses He intends.

We see the nations standing before the Lamb.

The Nations Stood Before the Lamb

The vision of the Lamb that we began seeing in chapter 5 continues to be carried through.

The Lamb that was slain…

He is still a very present figure.

Now, this multitude is said to be standing before Him…

Again, making Him the center piece of worship.

We will see later, some of these, at least, may have died violent deaths for their refusal to worship the antichrist.

Revelation 20:4

Revelation 20:4 ESV

4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

It is no mistake then that these ones are said to be standing before the Lamb (who was slain), also alive and victorious.

The Lamb who was Slain

But lives

The saints who died

Some beheaded in their allegiance to Jesus

Standing, alive, before the Lamb in worship.

Capture the image, church. Capture it!

Their suffering over. Brief. Their death’s blessed with the Lamb’s glory and presence.

These slain saints, a vast uncountable multitude….

Clothed in White

The white depicting the righteousness that comes with their faith, their repentance.

Potentially they are physically dressed in white…

Potentially it is figurative to depict their righteous standing…

Since they do not have their resurrected bodies yet

Either way, it does not matter.

They have been made righteous by the blood of the Lamb on account of their faith and repentance.

The white may also depict their rejoicing, their exaltation, their victory…since white was often worn in celebration moments as well.

Conclusion

Big Idea: The promise of our future standing before the Lamb should give hope and admonishment to stand in worship and service now.

Application

Church, God may have chosen Israel to bless and through whom to bless the world, but make no mistake, God loves the world and wants to shower His divine glory on us all.

In His holiness, in His glory, He wants the world, Jew and Gentile alike to believe.

He has had a plan from the beginning to shower His grace upon them.

Church, we of all people should be the least racist, the least prejudice, the least to show favoritism at all.

God died to save EVERY NATION, every tribe, every race, every language. He made them all. He loves them all. There is zero room for us as believers to hold anyone, no matter their skin color, race, ethnicity, with anything other the the utmost love and respect for the glory and worth of God.

We are only saved because He chose Israel first. We have been grafted in, drawn in AFTER Israel.

We as the church should be celebrating a multi-ethnic diverse body of Christ, championing for all mankind to be treated as the image bearers of God that they are.

Do you see the world the way God sees it?

Are you praying for the nations? Supporting missions? Raising your children with a heart for global evangelism?

God’s plan was never provincial or tribal—it has always been global (Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 49:6; Matthew 24:14).

We must actively resist any form of nationalism or cultural superiority that undercuts the breadth of Christ’s redemption.

“Church, here this truth and admonishment: we are not the center of God’s redemptive plan—but we are fully included in it by His grace.

God’s covenantal plan began with Israel, through whom came the Scriptures, the covenants, and the Messiah (Rom. 9:4–5). Yet from the very beginning, His heart was for all nations—for every tribe, tongue, people, and language (Gen. 12:3; Isa. 49:6).

As Gentiles, we have not replaced Israel—we’ve been graciously grafted in (Rom. 11:17–24). That should make us grateful, not prideful.

So let us beware the sinful tendency to think our race, culture, or national background somehow makes us superior to others. This thinking can creep in in subtle ways and we need to be on guard for it. God doesn’t elevate any ethnicity over another—He exalts Christ, and gathers worshippers from every corner of the globe to glorify His Son.

We are not second-class citizens in the Kingdom—but neither are we the standard by which the Kingdom is measured. We are blood-bought sinners, just like the rest, saved by mercy, and called to walk humbly with our God (Mic. 6:8).”

Crafted with the help of ChatGPT

The nations WILL stand AS ONE before the Lamb, offering Him their eternal worship. We will stand together, united by our love for God, bound to Him and each other.

Big Idea: The promise of our future standing before the Lamb should give hope and admonishment to stand in worship and service now.

What are these nations doing as they stand together before the Lamb?

They are celebrating and worshipping.

To that, we will turn next week.

Today, let us celebrate His heart for the nations and worship a God who redeems us all to be ONE body who loves and adores Him.

Church, let us be ONE BODY, of all nations who are growing together to become more like Jesus for the glory of God.

Application

How does the promise of standing before the Lamb impact your daily worship and service?

In what ways can you actively remind yourself of the hope found in Revelation 7 during times of struggle?

What actions can you take to better integrate worship into your daily life as a form of service?

How do you perceive the comfort of God in your life, based on the promise of Him wiping away every tear?

In what areas of life can you cultivate a deeper trust in God's provision, as highlighted in the sermon?

What does standing before the Lamb mean to you personally, and how should that influence your behavior now?

How can you demonstrate worship in your everyday activities at school or home?

What are some practical ways you can support your friends who feel overwhelmed or hopeless?

How can you share the comfort and hope found in Christ with others in your community?

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