Washed (Revelation 7:9-17)
Tammy and I married when I was a youth minister. I hid my car on the morning of my wedding because I knew some kids had plans for that car.
I was right. Some kids found that car and took black and white shoe polish and rubbed it all over my brand new car. Some friends followed Tammy and me to a car wash and we spent about an hour washing my car. On my honeymoon, I spent about an hour a day scraping shoe polish off my car. But I never got that car clean—it still had shoe polish on it when I traded it in a decade later.
Did you ever have something that never would get clean? Maybe a black car that always looked dirty. Maybe you got a grease stain on your favorite shirt. Maybe a grandchild spilled grape juice all over brand new carpet. Maybe tomato sauce wouldn’t come out of your favorite baking dish.
John saw a huge multitude in heaven; their dirty robes had been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb. “Those who have washed their robes in the Lamb’s blood will worship him in heaven.”
Scripture (Revelation 7:9-17)
verse 9:
John saw a multitude of every ethnic group dressed in white robes, and the multitude was standing before the throne of God and his Lamb. White symbolized purity, and white robes were worn in the temple. These worshipers are both pure and in the heavenly temple.
The multitude had palm branches in their hands. Palm branches were used at the Feast of Tabernacles, a feast which commemorated the Israelites’ escape from Egyptian bondage. The multitude in heaven celebrated their escape from their earthly trials.
verse 10:
The multitude recognized that salvation comes solely from God and his Lamb.
verses 11-12:
Angels joined the chorus.
verses 13-14:
One of the elders asked John the multitude’s identity.
John didn’t know; the angel told him that the multitude had come from the great tribulation. Revelation was written to comfort first-century Christians; therefore, the great tribulation is clearly suffering during Roman persecution in the first century. John’s readers needed to know that they would gain victory if they were faithful.
This multitude came from the great tribulation by washing their robes in the Lamb’s blood
verse 15a:
This great multitude served God continually in the temple. The Greek term “serve” used here means to serve in worship; this multitude continually worshiped God. God is so worthy of praise that his praise in heaven shall never cease.
verses 15b-16:
The great multitude was sheltered from any harm.
verse 17:
They were sheltered, for the Lamb shepherded them. God would wipe their tears away.
Application
“Those who have washed their robes in the Lamb’s blood will worship him in heaven.”
Jesus’s blood is vital for cleansing. “The blood of Christ” will “purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Heb 9:14). “The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 Jn 1:7).
Because “Those who have washed their robes in the Lamb’s blood will worship him in heaven,” what must you understand?
One: Crowd
In heaven there will be a great Crowd. Those who find that narrow path (Matt 7:13-14) will come from all over the globe.
That is the message of the gospel. “Make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19). “God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34-35). “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all” (Col 3:11).
God saves all who come to him through Jesus Christ. Regardless of their sins. Regardless of how they vote. Regardless of their skin color. Regardless of their native tongue. Regardless of their finances.
Since God saves all who come to him through Jesus Christ, ask yourself two questions. First: Will I share the gospel with a Crowd; will you, in other words, share the gospel with anyone? Two: Will I accept the Crowd; will you, in other words, accept anyone who comes to the Father through the Son?
Two: Creatures
John saw in this text a myriad of Creatures praising God.
That’s what angels do. When the Christ was born, a myriad of the heavenly host proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Lk 2:14). “When he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him’” (Heb 1:6).
If the Creatures in heaven worship God, shouldn’t you? Jesus didn’t die to save them; he died to save you. Jesus didn’t go to prepare them a place; he went to prepare you a place. Shouldn’t you join the Creatures in praise?
Three: Comfort
In this passage, John saw the Comfort God will provide in heaven: “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. 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” (Rev 7:16-17).
God has promised comfort after this life. Lazarus is comforted in Abraham’s bosom (Lk 16:15). “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” (Rev 21:4).
The Christians to whom John wrote needed to understand the Comfort of heaven: They were being asked to lay down their lives for the cause of Christ. You suffer, too. Illness. Temptation. Hurt. Grief. You can anticipate the Comfort of heaven. Do you have that Comfort this morning?
This sermon was originally preached by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at Church of Christ Deer Park in Deer Park, Texas.