6.z. “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Revelation 7:9   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, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 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 worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 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.

“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. 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.”

During the Tribulation period when the church is gone and the seals are open and the anger and wrath of God are upon the earth, we see God in grace and mercy reaching out.  He seals the 144,000 who are His witnesses and these who are clothed in white robes are those who have believed and been saved and died because of and during the tribulation period.  “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”  I still have to wonder how many have died during this time without believing, and in so doing, sealed their eternal destiny in hell.  Isn’t it the same today?  Rejection of Christ and finding their pleasure, satisfaction, and hope in things of this world instead of the Creator of it.  Today, the Holy Spirit of God is still present.  God’s Holy Spirit, to guide, direct, encourage open ears, open eyes, soften hearts and proclaim truth to our hearts is present.  And even though His Spirit is present we still resist and close our eyes and ears, harden our hearts, and stiffen our necks.  We resist His active presence in our lives and intentionally choose to follow what seems right in our own eyes.  We neglect His Word and desire things of this world more than humbly serving, honoring, following, obeying, and trusting in Him.  Notice how those who come through the tribulations and worship Him day and night.  They serve Him.  We do well to grow in His Word, and desire and seek to live, act, think and speak in ways that honor and glorify Him every moment of every day.

Deceiver and Accuser

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

“Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this.”

“May the good LORD pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God, the LORD”

“For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.”

Zechariah 3:1  Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?”   Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”

Job 1:6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.  The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”

Luke 22:31   “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,

Revelation 12:9  And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.  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.

Isaiah 64:6     We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

“They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

It does not take much time reading God’s word and reflecting on our lives to be reminded of our unrighteousness and sin.  Guess who is standing right there when these thoughts come.  Satan.  He is the prince of lies, the deceiver, and accuser.  He tells us that we are unclean, unholy, unworthy, a failure, and unforgiven.  He attacks our faith in Christ’s redemption telling us these lies.  He whispers these lies to defeat what should be a victorious fruit filled God honoring life.  “Resist the Devil and he will flee from you”.  Our resistance is through the promises of God found in His word, faith in God and trusting fully in what He has said.  What God has made clean no one can make unclean.  We are children of the Creator and in His hands we are secure.  Recognize Satan’s whispers of accusation and deception.  Stand firm In God’s promises.  Our lives should be a light of hope to others that is seen through what we say and do for the honor and glory of God.  As the children’s song states “Don’t let Satan blow it out” “I’m going to let it shine”

Wipe away every tear

” 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.”

“And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.””

Psalms 30:11  You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,  that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

2 Chronicles 20:3   Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the LORD,

2 Chronicles 20:12   O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.

Isaiah 25:8   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.

John 16:20   Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.

Revelation 7:14-17   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.  “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.  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.

Revelation 21:4   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.”

Ecclesiastes 3:4   a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Jeremiah 31:13-14  Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.  I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, declares the LORD.”

Nehemiah 8:10  And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Psalms 126:5-6   Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!

2 Corinthians 7:10  For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Luke 6:21-25  “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.  “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!  Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.  “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.  “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

There are times to mourn and weep and times to laugh and dance.  Such is life this side of eternity.  We know not when times of mourning and weeping will come but surely they are part of our life.  They hurt and burden our heart to the point of despair.  We are given words of encouragement for both our selves and friends in these times.  We are to mourn with those who mourn and weep with those weeping.  Times of despair seem to occupy everything aspect of our life, it consumes us and we seem to be carrying a burden so heavy it can break us at any moment.  But God gives us hope, our despair will be turned in to joy and praise.  Our tears will be wiped away and the darkness we are in will be turned in to light and our pain will be taken away.  There is joy in the morning.  This joy is found in seeking Him, waiting for Him, trusting Him and calling upon Him.  There is no other with power to lift us out of our despair.