 Revelation 7:9-12
Rev. Zach Keele
Thesis: Christ Jesus, as the Second Adam, fulfilled the
Abrahamic promises by shedding his blood to redeem a great host
and to lead us to life everlasting free from judgment and curse.
Introduction
To be in trouble is a terrible feeling, as we
know. You are speeding down the road when all of a sudden a
police car shows up in the rear-view mirror and then lights
flash. Kids you are sent to your room for doing something bad to
await the coming of your dad to discipline you. You go pick up
your test grade to find a very low mark and a note to go see the
teacher. All of a sudden, our pulse quickens; we feel guilty,
ashamed and scared; we are filled with dread for the
consequences and we wonder how we can get out of it. These
feelings can be encompassing and make us freeze. Kids, if you
have to wait until dad get home, then the rest of the afternoon
you feel sick; you don’t feel like doing anything. Yes, when
guilt is impressed upon us, life is miserable; the smallest task
seems insurmountable. Well, it is for this very reason that Rev
7 is given to us. It is given so that we may know and be assured
of the freedom we have in Christ, so that we can endure through
life’s hardships and sufferings until the end. This vision is a
help to us each and every day of our lives.
I: Innumerable Host
Well, after having the 144,000 numbered off
by tribe, there is another shift in the heavenly scene. This is
again marked by the ‘after this’ in v 9. One heavenly panorama
fades while another is unveiled before our eyes.
Location: And this shift in scene moves our focus from one
group to another. We are taken from the numbered army of 144,000
from the sons of Israel to this international host that cannot
be numbered. Of course, the question that comes to mind is this
the same group?
Well yes, this is the same people. It is the same group
portrayed from different perspectives for a reason. The change
in perspective is intended to help us understand better our
life, hope and comfort in Christ, which is necessary for us to
grow in obedience. Now, this alteration of perspective is most
recognizable by location. The 144,000 are on earth, while the
international host is in heaven—before the throne and the Lamb.
ONE PEOPLE: Hence, this is the one people of God depicted from
different angles, from different time periods. The 144,000 are
the one and whole people of God as the church militant. The
mighty angel sealed them so that when the four winds blew harm
they would be protected. As we saw, the four winds were
identified with the four riders (first four seals).
The 144,000 have to endure the harshness of the four winds, just
as the church suffers the disasters of the riders. This was the
point of the seal; it protected through hardships. Furthermore,
the counting off 12,000 from every tribe was like the military
census in Numbers during the wilderness wanderings of Israel.
In fact, God only allowed a census to be taken at his command in
the wilderness. Israel could not take censuses on their own
initiative once in the land (remember the plague that came when
David did). Thus, the 144.000 are the church pictured in the
wilderness, during the first and second comings of Christ.
∞Triumphant: However, now in v 9ff the church is represented as
the one people of God triumphant. This congregation is standing
in heaven before the throne among the angels praising God for
his salvation. Indeed, this declaration about salvation
belonging to God has a sense of finality. God is worshipped for
his salvation because it is complete. The sevenfold perfections
ascribed to God and to the Lamb with the double amen in v 12
adore the Lord for his grand work of redemption.
∞ Contrast: Hence, the change in the setting makes evident the
theological significances of the numbers. The first group is
God’s people sojourning through the world wilderness; the
howling waste where the Evil One is continually setting traps
for our faith. And during such a time, when we experience so
many disasters God tells us that he has numbered us down to the
very last one. He will not loose a single one for he sealed his
own and has us accurately counted. The definite number reveals
God’s protection of us.
On the other hand, the heavenly congregation is without number.
It is so numerous no one can number them. Gathered from every
tribe, tongue, people and nation, this vast people reflect the
grandeur of God’s redemptive plan. Truly, he has saved in Christ
a massive horde. God’s arm is not short; his love is not weak.
Rather, God’s deep love has reconciled to himself a swarming
multitude.
ABRAHAMIC PROMISES: In fact, the reason we initially may think
that these two groups are different is because we think the
first is cast in OT and Israelite terms, while the second is in
more NT terms. But this is not really the case. For, this
language about a multitude that can be numbered from the nations
comes from the promises to Abraham. In Gen 12, God said that
Abraham would be a blessing to all nations.
Then, God told Abraham in Gen 15 that his offspring would be
like the stars or the sand of the sea so great no one is able to
count them. Then these promises are picked up in Daniel 7 for
the people that the Son of Man redeems after the exile: ‘all the
peoples, nations and languages will serve him.’ And this was
shown to be fulfilled in the Lamb in 5:9, who purchased a people
from every tribe, language, people and nation.
Therefore, this international and multiethnic congregation is
equally cast in OT terms. This multitude is spiritual Israel
just as the 144,000. As the Apostle states in Gal 3:14—“in
Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles,
so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” God
is true to his promises.
II: New Exodus
In fact, the OT cast does not end with this
description of the size of the church triumphant. For note what
the congregation is doing in heaven.
salvation: This innumerable host is praising and worshipping
God for his salvation. The redemption, which they receive, is
all of God. It is his work, his doing. Salvation belongs to the
One seated on the throne and to the Lamb. They are the authors
of it. Our salvation was God’s plan. He planned, executed it and
finished it. Thus, all the glory and honor and blessing goes to
him. However, this salvation for which God is adored and
glorified is also painted in OT colors, in shades of a new
exodus.
WASHED: The elder in v 14 makes this evident in his
description of the heavenly people of God. He mentions that this
vast crowd has washed their robes, which is an allusion of Ex 19
when is Israel is gathered around Mt. Sinai and is told to wash
their clothes to ready themselves to become God’s covenant
people. After coming out of the house of slavery, Israel needs
to be purified.
MADE WHITE: Next, the congregation made their garments white
in the blood of the Lamb, which is based on Ex 24. There, which
is chronologically right after Ex 19, Moses inaugurates and
seals the covenant by sprinkling blood upon the altar and the
people. The blood of the covenant consecrates the people as holy
unto the Lord, pure and set apart.
This OT ceremony is a picture of the reality in Christ. Christ’s
blood is the blood of the covenant shed for us that ultimately
make us white—removing the impurity of our sins. His precious
blood is basis for our salvation, for us becoming the people of
God.
PRIESTS: Moreover, look at the result of the Lamb’s work, v
15. Because of his blood, the church is before the throne to
serve him day and night. This innumerable crowd is in heaven
only due to the work of Christ Jesus. And they are there as
priests. This work of continual service is the very same
language of the priests service in the OT.
Hence, in fulfillment of Ex 19:6 (which has been quote twice
already in Rev 1:5, 5:10), Christ Jesus redeemed us and made us
a kingdom of priests to serve the Lord in glory forever. This is
what is picture for us in the second half of Rev 7. We see our
eternal destiny of dwelling with God and serving him in heaven,
all due to the work of Christ.
SHEPHERD: Additionally, the new exodus nature of Christ’s work
is evident in his shepherding of us. In vv 16-17, the Lamb is
our shepherd leading us to springs of living water so that we
will thirst and hunger no more. Verse 16 is taken from Isaiah 49
(that we read) where God promises a to bring his people safely
back from exile and to place them in a paradise land. Christ is
the one who brings us to glory, when we all will stand before
the Throne to praise and serve God forever.
III: Last Adam
Therefore, this second part of chapter 7 is
picturing the church triumphant. It is giving us a self-portrait
in glory, underlining how we get there.
ONE SEED: The church triumphant stands in heaven among the
angels only because Christ is the one seed of Abraham. He is the
one descendent of Abraham, the greater son of David, who
redeemed us from the curse of the law so that the blessings of
Abraham might come to us in Him. Yes, the promised blessings of
Abraham come to us Gentiles only because of Christ.
The Lamb brought us out of the house of slavery to sin, made us
his holy people by his blood of the covenant and then he leads
through the wilderness to that imperishable promise land. His
blood alone takes away our sins and makes us holy. Better and
stronger than any stain-remover, his deep red blood scrubs us
whiter than snow.
LAST ADAM: However, the international nature of the church
triumphant doesn’t just highlight Christ as the fulfillment of
the Abrahamic promises. Indeed, the promises to Abraham look
forward to an innumerable multiethnic people because they are
tied to what was given to Adam before the fall.
In Gen 1:28, Adam was told to be fruitful and to fill the earth
with his descendants. Thus, the ultimate product Adam was to
offer up to God was his descendants as the holy, world-wide
people of God. Of course, Adam failed in this by his fall into
sin; however, Adam’s sin did not thwart God’s plan. Instead, God
executed his plan through Abraham fulfilled in Christ.
Therefore, the redeeming of an innumerable people from every
tribe, people, language and nation showcases Christ as seed of
Abraham and the Last Adam. He did what Adam failed to do; he
created a holy people to be the Father’s special possession.
God’s plan in creation was to bring a great host to himself and
where Adam failed to do this Christ succeeded.
Thus, whatever the color of your skin, whatever language you
speak, whatever corner of the earth you may call home, no matter
your gender, Christ redeemed you to bring you to God in heaven.
He brings you out of a land of sin and death, where we were cast
in Adam east of Eden, to a new paradise of God.
DESTINY: Indeed, behold the place to which Christ shall bring
us. It is a land where God shall dwell among us and us with him.
His very presence shall shelter us so that we will no longer be
thirsty or hungry. The sun will not burn our skin; the heat will
not dehydrate us. To be sun scorched and hungry is OT curse
language; hence, the Lamb guides us to a land of no curse.
There is no curse because there is no sin as his blood purged
it, expunged it. In this land, there will be no sin and so no
curse. As well as, there will be no death. The Lamb guides us to
the springs of living water. He will give us a drink from the
fountain of eternal life to be hydrated and refreshed once for
all. God himself will even wipe away every tear from our eyes.
This phrase about wiping away tears is connected with the end of
death (Isa 25, Rev 21:4). Hence, the Lamb leads to everlasting
life where death is no more swallowed up, dead itself.
Therefore, Christ brings us to a new heavenly garden of God
better than the first Eden. For he leads to a land free from
curse and death (with not possibility of death). He carries us
to a land with no judgment, no punishment, no wrath. And all of
this is because of the Lamb’s shed blood. Indeed, in v 14 it
says we are made white in the blood of the Lamb and then in v 15
it literally says, ‘because of this, they are before the
throne.’
So also, verse 17 is causal, ‘because the Lamb in the midst of
the throne, he is our shepherd.’ It is the blood of Christ that
is the legal foundation for all of this heavenly paradise. His
blood is the blood of the covenant shed for the remission of
sins and for removal of judgment unto our everlasting life.
WHO CAN STAND?: Hence, in this second part of the chapter 7,
we are given the explicit answer to that terrifying question of
6:17, ‘who is able to stand in the great day of wrath?’ When the
blood red moon is hung in the horizon, when the islands skip
across the deep, what sinner will stand? When the stars drop
from their courses like wind tossed figs, who will be shown as
free from sin? When the heavens are slashed in two and the sun
goes pitch black, who will be shown righteous? Who can stand in
holy justice of One seated upon the throne?
You will!! Yes, you will stand beloved. Why? Because God
justified the ungodly in Christ. In the precious blood of the
Lamb, you are already gleaning white in the righteousness of
Christ received by faith. Judgment is already passed. Thus,
truly this picture of heaven here is a self-portrait of you
saints. Notice what the uncountable host of the redeemed, of
which you are a part, are doing in v 9? They are standing before
the throne. This is a judicial posture. It is the posture of the
justified in Christ, completely and totally free from judgment.
And this is the very reason that this vision is your bread and
butter for each and every day of your life. For if judgment is
still to come, then pleasing God is impossible. If our
justification waits to the last day, then we cannot be obedient.
If the Day of Wrath is a danger to us, then we are frozen in
fear.
Indeed, is this what the sinner does? As Rom 1 states, the
ungodly know of God’s wrath that they will be judged for what
they did. However, what do they do? They suppress this truth in
unrighteousness. This knowledge is too terrifying, so they act
like it is not true. Don’t we do the same thing as we await
punishment from earthly authorities? Mom makes us wait until dad
comes home so that he can punish us for the wrong we did. So at
the dinner table, mom says to you, ‘don’t you have something to
tell dad?’ We play dumb. “I hit a triple in practice today.”
We can’t take the fear of punishment in the fore of our minds.
Hence, in Christ this fear is truly removed, eradicated.
Remember was the Apostle said, “There is no fear in love, but
perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment,
and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love
because he first loved us” (1 John 4:18-19).
We know we have to obey in all things; we long to obey. But if
we don’t appreciate and understand the comfort we have in Christ
and keep coming back to it, we will always be handicapped.
Therefore, remember and cherish that you, the ungodly, have been
justified in Christ. His blood has made you pure, clean and
holy. In him, judgment and wrath is past. In him, you will stand
in heaven before the throne sustained by living water in the
heavenly garden of God, the New Jerusalem. Remember Revelation
7, the grace and power of God to you unto good works.
Amen.
Rev. Zach Keele
Pastor
Escondido Orthodox Prebyterian Church
Escondido, CA
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Preaching Christ: Audios
Revelation 7:9-12
Rev. Zach Keele, '03
Rev. Owen Y. Lee, '00
Genesis 18:16-33
Rev. Eric Landry, '03
Genesis 49:29
- 50:14
Rev. Stephen Lewis, '98
2 Kings 11
Rev. Stephen Donovan, '01
Job 1:13-22
Rev. Brian Vos, '97
Rev. Jason J. Stellman, '04
Isaiah 55:1-5
Rev. David Lee, '04
Rev. Zach Keele, '03
Mr. Christopher Sandoval, '05
Rev. Jeff Suhr, '02
Rev. Eric Landry, '03
John 14:1-3
Rev. James Lee, '02
Rev. Dale Van Dyke, '91
Romans 16
Rev. Danny Hyde, '00
Ephesians 1:13-14
Rev. Ryan Kron, '06
Rev. Michael G. Brown, '04
Jude 1-2
Rev. Danny Hyde, '00
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