“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!’” – Rev. 7:10-11
What an image to open our day with! This is an image of promise and hope for all who have been sealed in the blood of Jesus Christ. This is an image of complete unity and harmony. This is an image of the final recognition of the One to whom our salvation belongs. This image shows us, once again that we OWN nothing…all that we have… our very life and our salvation… belong to and come from God above. We are granted these things because of God’s great steadfast love towards His elect seen in His mercy and grace. Because of this God MUST be glorified by us…His people.
The “great multitude that no one can count” captures all of God’s elect people for all time. The numbers listed for the Jews simply reflect a portion of ALL who make up this great multitude. In this way, the promise given to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations is fulfilled. Gen. 17:4-6- “And God said to him, ‘Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you.’” In these passages, God’s covenant of grace has now unfolded in all its multi-faceted dimensions. The beauty of the work of redemption has been disclosed for all to see before the end. This glimpse into what Heaven is and what will be should encourage us to no end, as we live on this messy earth looking forward to That Day.
These words, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” are as great a hope for us today as it was for them. This would have cleared many things up for them as it should for us, since so many were then and are today, still trying to teach that it was at best a combination of faith and works that gets us into heaven and at worst…only pious Jews will get in! Pious is defined as the ones who follow the letter of the Law…like the Pharisees whom they disliked and distrusted. Or today, that salvation is our choice…which weakens the sovereignty of God and only causes more confusion among the ranks of God’s people.
But it was God’s great mercy granted to His Elect, through the Cross work of Christ, (His covenantal promise to send a Redeemer) that had saved them and us and has taken away the just sentence of God’s wrath against all who sin. And it is, by God’s great grace that we and they endure in this life to receive such blessings as the white robe of perfection and a palm branch of complete peace and restoration with our God.
God has granted His salvation to us just as He promised to do for His elect millenniums ago and it is this same salvation that we live in today…a salvation that clearly gives us a reason to live and to glorify our God now. Our cry ought to be just as theirs “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Amen! Praise and glory!
Here is another of Michael Card’s song from the book of Revelation- Salvation:
God bless y’all today.
In His Grip,
Pastor Mike
