Eternal Glory 3. Sheltered, Satisfied, Shepherded - Revelation 7:15-17
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Psalm 45:6–9 (ESV)
6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; 7 you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; 8 your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad; 9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honour; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
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 worshipped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour 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.”
Introduction
We have been given an insight into the glory of heaven with the vast multitude, the angels, the elders and the living creatures. They are all before the throne of God, falling prostrate before the glorious lamb of God. What a wonderful prospect it is it should fill our minds with joy as we anticipate the glory that will be ours.
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21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
365 Days with Calvin (21 August: Finding Blessing in Death (2 Corinthians 5:8))
Observe here that true faith begets not merely contempt of death but even desire for it. On the other hand, a token of unbelief is when the dread of death predominates in us above the joy and consolation of hope. True believers desire death, not as if they would by an importunate desire anticipate their Lord’s day, for they willingly retain footing in their earthly station so long as their Lord may see it good for them. They would rather live to the glory of Christ and “die to themselves” (Rom. 14:7) than live for their own advantage. The desire for death, of which Paul speaks, springs forth from faith. It is not at all in variance with the will of God.
My Jesus I love thee -William Ralph Featherstone age 16 (1864)died age 27
Having seen the multitude we now consider the experience that is theirs .
Revelation 7:15–17 (ESV)
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.”
Sheltered v15
Satisfied v16
Shepherded v17
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1. Sheltered v15
1. Sheltered v15
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Revelation 7:15 (ESV)
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.
a. Before the throne of God
a. Before the throne of God
rev7 15 “15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God,
The clause “before the throne of God” implies that the saints have direct access to the one who occupies that throne. Their relation to God is the same as it was in the Garden of Eden when God walked and talked with Adam and Eve. Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 259). Baker Book House.
rev22 1 “1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb”
rev22 3 “3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.”
Referenced over 40 times in revelation.
i. Authority
i. Authority
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.
ii. Rule
ii. Rule
15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
iii. Dominion
iii. Dominion
20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
b. Serve in his Temple v15
b. Serve in his Temple v15
Revelation 7:15 (ESV)
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.
Especially significant is the continuous service God’s people render in his presence. The word temple refers not to the structure of a building but rather to the Holy of Holies, which is the place where God dwells. Some commentators see a conflict in this verse with Revelation 21:22, which reads that the new Jerusalem has no temple. But John explains that “the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple,” which means that because of the pervading presence of God and the Lamb the new Jerusalem is itself a sanctuary. Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 259). Baker Book House.
22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.
Once a year the high priest entered God’s sacred presence momentarily on the Day of Atonement, but the saints dwell in God’s presence not for a few minutes but forever. They do not sprinkle the blood of a bull and a goat to be cleansed from sin, for they are sinless. And no longer do they petition God for remission of sin, for they are cleansed. Thus they serve him continually by praising and thanking him (22:3). The saints in heaven know no division of day and night; John remarks, “And there will be no night there” (22:5). Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 259). Baker Book House.
3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
c. Shelter v15
c. Shelter v15
Revelation 7:15 (ESV)
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.
NKJV And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
“And he who is seated on the throne will spread his tent over them.” This sentence seems to be a poetic description of God protecting his people. The one seated on the throne is the phrase used to describe God, and the clause he will spread his tent over them is significant theologically. Here is the divine promise that God grants his people security with his personal presence. This is a teaching that permeates Scripture from Leviticus to Revelation: God’s desire to dwell with his people and to have them acknowledge him as their God Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 259). Baker Book House.
11 I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. 12 And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.
Revelation 21:2–3 (ESV)
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
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2. Satisfied v16
2. Satisfied v16
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Revelation 7:16 (ESV)
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
a. Hunger and Thirst v16
a. Hunger and Thirst v16
Revelation 7:16 (ESV)
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
Psalm 107:8–9 (ESV)
8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
Isaiah 49:10 (ESV)
10 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.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
b. Sun and Heat v16
b. Sun and Heat v16
Revelation 7:16 (ESV)
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
Psalm 121:5–6 (ESV)
5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
Isaiah 60:19–20 (ESV)
19 The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. 20 Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.
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3. Shepherded v17
3. Shepherded v17
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Revelation 7:17 (ESV)
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.”
Shepherding Movement
A charismatic Bible study that met weekly in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the "Fort Lauderdale Five" (Don Basham, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Charles Simpson and Ern Baxter) evolved into The Holy Spirit Teaching Mission. This interdenominational group was incorporated in 1966 and expanded its scope with teaching conferences in Florida, later sponsoring conferences in other states. In 1969, it launched a magazine, New Wine, and, in 1972, changed its name to Christian Growth Ministries (CGM). The Shepherding movement arose out of a concern for the weak commitment, shallow community, and the general worldliness characteristic of many American churches. But their solution was extra-biblical requirements - membership in a house-group which included having life-decisions “covered” by the house-group leader, elder, or pastor. Such decisions included things like where to live and work, whom to marry, or whether to see a doctor when someone was ill.[1]
a. The Shepherd Lamb v17
a. The Shepherd Lamb v17
Revelation 7:17 (ESV)
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.”
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Song of Solomon 1:7–8 (ESV)
7 Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon; for why should I be like one who veils herself beside the flocks of your companions? 8 If you do not know, O most beautiful among women, follow in the tracks of the flock, and pasture your young goats beside the shepherds’ tents.
23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.
b. Living Water v17
b. Living Water v17
Revelation 7:17 (ESV)
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.”
The Lamb who is now the Shepherd leads the sheep to springs of living water. The imagery is a clear reminder of the Samaritan woman who asked Jesus for living water so that she would no longer be thirsty and have to keep coming back to Jacob’s well (John 4:15). Water symbolizes eternal life (Isa. 55:1; John 7:38, 39). Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 261). Baker Book House.
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”
13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”
Isaiah 55:1 (ESV)
1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
c. No More Tears v17
c. No More Tears v17
Revelation 7:17 (ESV)
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.”
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” If there is one text in Scripture that comforts the saints, it is this verse. Here we meet the infinite tenderness of our God, who is able to remove from our eyes every tear caused by suffering, death, and sorrow. John again quotes from the Old Testament, where God is saying to his people that he will swallow up death forever and will wipe away the tears from all faces (Isa. 25:8; see Jer. 31:16). Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 261). Baker Book House.
Isaiah 25:8 (ESV)
8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.
Isaiah 35:10 (ESV)
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
And in John’s vision of the new Jerusalem, God dwells with his people and as their God will wipe every tear from their eyes. “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Rev. 21:4). This is eternal bliss that can be portrayed only in pictures borrowed from this earthly scene—God bending down as a parent to wipe tears from the faces of his children. Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the
Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 261). Baker Book House.
The last line in this verse is a picture of joy and happiness, of deliverance from sin and guilt, of salvation full and free. It is a scene of life in the fullest sense of the word—to be forever in the presence of our covenant God, who dwells in the midst of the glorified saints. It is Paradise restored. Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 262). Baker Book House.
Conclusion
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3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”