Skip to main content

For Those Who Grieve


 John writes the book of Revelation to people who are suffering. People who are facing the hardest trial they've ever been through. People who feel their lives have become a nightmare. And he offers them a dream. A dream of the heavenly reality. The reality against which everything else must be measured. He offers them a dream. A dream of the heavenly truth. The truth to hold on to.

In Revelation 7, John sees a large crowd worshiping God. The angels, the elders, and the mysterious creatures also worship God. Then one of the elders tells John who's in the crowd:

"These people have come out of great hardship. They have washed their robes and made them white in the Lamb's blood. This is the reason they are before God's throne. They worship him day and night in his temple, and the one seated on the throne will shelter them. They won't hunger or thirst anymore. No sun or scorching heat will beat down on them, because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them. He will lead them to the springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:14b-17, Common English Bible)

So who are these people? They are the ones who have lived through terrible suffering. They are the ones who have made it through the nightmare. And the reason why their clothes are white is NOT because they lived a perfect, holy, and pure life, but because the blood of Jesus has rescued them.

The truth is, Jesus has already won the victory and those who follow him are saved. That word saved really means rescued. N.T. Wright tells us, ". . . often in the Old Testament the word seems to mean 'the victory through which rescue is won.'"

God invites them in. He welcomes them. He shelters them with his presence. What this means is, he comforts them. He protects them. And all the blessings of heaven are theirs.

The final verse of chapter 7 is beautiful: "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." There's an intimacy in this image. It's a picture of a Christ-like God, who at his core is holy love and mercy. We see who he really is is when he steps down from the throne and personally wipes away every tear from every eye.

That's not just a dream. That's the ultimate reality.  It's the reality we're invited to hold on to. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Advent: The First Season of the Church Year

  “Advent begins in the dark” - Fleming Rutledge Advent means arrival. This is the time of the church year where we prepare for the arrival of Jesus. Our colors are purple for the dawn of the early morning—when it’s dark and you’re waiting for the sun to rise, for God’s new day to come. ‌ Thursday was Thanksgiving, so if you watched It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown that’s a beautiful illustration of Advent. Linus is out in the field waiting for the Great Pumpkin. For Advent, it’s like we, as Christians, are out in the field—and everyone else thinks we’re crazy—but we’ve been given the faith to believe and know that because our Lord came once, he will come again. So, like Linus, we wait and we watch. And, surprisingly, Jesus continues to meet us until he comes in final glory. Here is the prayer for the first Sunday of Advent from The Book of Common Prayer: Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mor...
Post a Comment
Read more

One God, Three Persons: A Theological Exploration of the Trinity

Welcome back, dear reader! I’m so glad you’re joining me on this theological journey through the Articles of Religion. Let’s start with the first article, “Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.” Before we begin, let’s consider the very notion of a "Holy Trinity." What does this mean? Well, in essence, it’s the recognition that God exists as three distinct persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—yet these three persons are one God. This may seem like a paradox, but it is a paradox that lies at the very heart of our Christian faith. Now, you may be wondering how such a thing is possible. How can three persons be one God? Well, the answer lies in the very nature of God himself. You see, God is not merely a human being writ large; he is not subject to the limitations of space and time that we are. Rather, God is eternal, infinite, and omnipotent. He transcends our understanding and exists beyond our comprehension. (I may have got a bit carried away there. Let me say that in a mo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Conquering the Grave: The Hope and Assurance of Christ's Resurrection (Article 3)

 Greetings, dear friends! I’m so glad you are still with me on this theological journey through the Articles of Religion. Today, we set our sights on Article 3, a profound statement about the redemptive work of Jesus. So, let’s dive in. Article 3: "Of the Resurrection of Christ" We believe and proclaim that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, truly died, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day. His resurrection is not a mere legend or a symbolic tale; it is a historical event of profound significance. In the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, we witness the culmination of God's redemptive plan. Jesus chose to carry the weight of our sins upon the cross, offering himself as the perfect sacrifice. But death could not defeat him—on the third day, he victoriously rose from the tomb. The resurrection of Jesus is the pivotal event that seals our hope and secures our salvation. In Jesus' resurrection, we find the assurance that sin and death do not have the final w...
Post a Comment
Read more