Before the Throne of God Above - 23

Well, we've come to the latter part of Revelation chapter 7, and let me read beginning at verse number 9 of Revelation chapter 7. John writes, After these things I looked, and behold a great multitude, which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. All the angels stood around the throne, and the elders, and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever.

Amen. Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from? And I said to him, Sir, you know. So he said to me, These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and 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 dwell among them.

They shall neither hunger any more nor thirst any more. The sun shall not strike them nor any heat, for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. What we have here is a glimpse of heaven. John, here in Revelation chapter 7, is giving us two visions that he received.

Chapter 7 is a bit of an interlude between chapter 6 and chapter 8. The first vision that John had was he heard chapter 7 verse 4, and I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000, of all the tribes of the children of Israel. And then he comes to this section that we're considering tonight, and he does not hear this vision, but he sees this vision. And it says, After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number.

What John is privileged to see and record for our benefit is the glorified church in heaven. And there are four things that I want you to see about the church and this vision. Number one, I want you to see its vastness. Number two, I want you to see its diversity. Number three, I want you to see its victory. And number four, I want you to see its occupation.

Its vastness, its diversity, its victory, and its occupation. So let's look at those one by one. John says, After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number. There's a tendency for us to think of ourselves as insignificant, to think of ourselves as the minority, but John is reminding us in this vision that the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is not a minority, that the church of the Lord Jesus Christ in its glorified state is made up of a vast multitude.

Behold, I looked, and a great multitude which no one could number. Saints from all the ages, every blood, blood, child, and saint of God represented in that multitude, a multitude which no one could number. So although we may feel insignificant, although we may feel as though we're in the minority, let us be mindful that God is building His church, and it is a glorified church, and that there's a vastness about its number that no one can comprehend. In that day we won't be wondering if we're in the minority, it'll seem as though we're in the vast majority, because we'll be there if we are a blood, blood, child of God in the company of a multitude of people that no one can number. So there's a vastness about the church, and I fear that we live in such isolation, and many times we think about the church, and we know the church is bigger than our church, but somehow it confines us and limits our thinking. We fail to understand that the church is a vast organization, an organism, and God has saved a vast multitude, and He has preserved, and there will be a company, a multitude that no one can number.

So a vastness, the church in heaven. Number two, diversity. Diversity, it reflects a diversity of humanity, and listen to what Kevin DeYoung says at this point. He says there are going to be millions of Africans in that great multitude, and plenty of Brazilians, and Chinese, and Filipinos, and lots of Hispanic people, Indians and Arabs, and there will be some white people there too. Heaven, he says, will be diversity without political correctness.

It's not something we're going to have to force, it's something that will be organic, it will be something that will be natural, because here is a diversity that has a singleness of purpose. We're all united around the person of the Godhead, a multicultural unified people, unified by true purpose, every heart, every heart, head, every voice giving glory to God and to the Lamb. And it's really the, we're seeing the fulfillment of what God told Abraham when God made a covenant with him. God said, I will bless you, and through you all the nations of the world, all the families of the world will be blessed. And there were times that I think Abraham doubted, because he was childless. God took him out and showed him the stars in the heavens, and he said, your descendants will be as the stars in the heavens, as the sand on the seashore. That gives us some sense of the vastness of this multitude that John is speaking about here in this vision. And there is a diversity here that is not divided, not fragmented, but it's of one mind. And it is the opposite of what transpired at the Tower of Babel, remember? Where God sent confusion and dispersed the people and caused people to speak of various and different languages. No, the nations of the earth will be joined together in one faith, in one shared salvation.

You know, it's hard, it's hard to overcome human barriers, it's hard to overcome cultural barriers, it's hard to overcome racial barriers and economic barriers. But in that day, all barriers will be gone, we'll be united as one people of God. There will be a great and wonderful diversity. So the church here in John's vision is revealed, number one, in its vastness, number two in its diversity. It's revealed, number three, in its victory.

Notice what he says. He says, before the throne and before the Lamb, people will be clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands. Here's a multitude of people from all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues standing before the throne of God and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands. But white robes speak of righteousness, an imputed righteousness, an acceptable righteousness.

White speaks of purity and of holiness and of full and final cleansing. But palm branches speak of victory, anticipated victory. And it's interesting that John would be giving us this description because of the four Gospels that speak of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. John's the only one of the four who mention the people standing and waving palm branches.

And what were they doing? They were waving palm branches and were singing glory to God, praise to God, and asking God for salvation. And here are people with palm branches giving thanks for salvation that's already been given. So it's victory that is being depicted here.

Clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands. I've been enjoying a devotional commentary by Don Johnson, and it's ironically entitled, Victory in Jesus. That's the title of this devotional commentary.

And listen to what he has to say here about this multitude. He says, I marvel at the equality that God has bestowed on all of His saints. There will be an infinite variety of rewards according to each man's labors, yet there will be no distinction in their final outward and inward status. All are fully dressed in white robes and fully acceptable before God through the shed blood of the Son of God. All are dressed in the righteousness of Christ. There is equal redemption, equal justification, and equal righteousness. No distinction is found in their final experience, for all are seen with palm branches in hand. All have the same unspeakable joy. All have won the victory. And all stand in the delightful presence of Jesus Christ. All are praising God with a loud voice, with the utmost zeal and fervor. All are participating in a full and complete salvation, total redemption of body, mind, and soul. All are seen to have made it successfully through their troubles.

So says Don Johnson. So here they are with palm branches, final victory, victory over sin, victory over tribulation, finally in the presence of their Redeemer. White robes. This is the apparel of Christ's bride. This is the apparel of the triumphant church, sanctified by Him and cleansed from all defilement.

John said at the end of his first epistle in 1 John 5 and verse 4, this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. And then, not just the vastness of the multitude, not only the vastness, but the diversity and the victory, but number four, the occupation. What is this white robed multitude doing in heaven? What are they doing? It says, they're clothed with white robes with palm branches in their hands and crying out with a loud voice saying, salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. What are they doing?

What are they occupied with? They are preoccupied with the praise of God and of the Lamb for the salvation that they are enjoying. The church above is occupied, is preoccupied with the sovereign grace of God and the final work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Notice again what they say, crying out with a loud voice saying, salvation belongs to our God. Salvation belongs to our God. It's sourced in Him. It comes from Him. It's dispensed by Him. It belongs to our God.

It's not something that originates with man. It's something that is sourced and originates with God. So they appropriately cry with a loud voice saying, salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. Folks, we find great joy in this place doing what these saints are doing and what we will be doing when we join them in heaven one day.

We find great joy and delight in saying and singing and proclaiming, salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb. He dispenses it as He wills. It's sourced in Him.

It comes from Him. We owe it all to Him. He is the author and the finisher of our faith. And if these things are proclaimed with great vigor in heaven, we ought to be engaged and preoccupied here on earth with the same themes.

It's similar to what Moses led the people of God, led the children of Israel as they came through the Red Sea in a miraculous deliverance. And the song of Moses is recorded in Exodus chapter 15. In verse 2, it says, the Lord is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation.

And that's true. That's true of everyone who has received salvation. The Lord has become our salvation.

This vision, however, does not just include the church. But notice it moves from the glorified saints in heaven to verse 11. It says, and all the angels stood around the throne, and the elders and the four living creatures, and they all fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God.

The angels. The angelic hosts are gathered with the church, and they are expressing their own adoration, not for salvation that they partook of, but they are rejoicing in the salvation that God has bestowed on sinful humanity. They're not just giving their own praise, but they are looking upon the church dressed in white raiment, cleansed, redeemed, and they are affirming, giving their voices and giving affirmation to what the redeemed saints are saying. And notice it says, all the angels stood around the throne, and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God saying, Amen.

That is, let it be so. And notice then there are seven attributes of God that they are including in their adoration, in their worship of God. Blessing and glory and wisdom and might and honor and power and...

I'm sorry. Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever and then, Amen again. Again, they're not glorifying God and adoring God for their reception of salvation, but they are giving praise and honor to God because they long to look into these things and they marvel at what God has done for sinful humanity. And Jesus told us in one of the parables that the angels rejoice over one sinner who repents. Here we see them rejoicing and giving thanks.

Here's the great, Amen. And again, you, I think, have followed me in this study long enough to know that the fact that there are seven attributes of God mentioned is illustrative. The seven attributes mentioned here certainly do not exhaust the attributes of God, but there are seven mentioned here and why is that? Well, because seven is a number of perfection. Seven is a number of completion and we see that over and over again. In fact, this chorus, this praise, this blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, that is found, guess how many times in the book of the Revelation? Correct, seven. Seven times you'll find that list of attributes that are mentioned. And again, John is continually, repetitively making use of this number seven. What do we make of them?

That is these attributes. Blessing, Amen. Blessing, you remember how Paul began his letter there? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. Blessed be God, Paul adorns us to say. Blessing, every blessing comes from God.

Glory, blessing and glory. Again, there in Ephesians chapter one. Paul was talking about God's electing grace, His redeeming work, His adopting us as sons and many other things He's done in salvation. But what does John say in relationship to the work of God in salvation?

Three times he makes this reference. Why has He chosen us? Why has He redeemed us?

Why has He made us part of His family? Why has He cleansed us? To the praise of His glory. Notice what they're extolling, blessing and glory. Ephesians 1 6, Ephesians 1 12, Ephesians 1 14, that phrase. He did all this to the praise of His glory. Wisdom, the wisdom of God.

We sing this hymn penned by James Montgomery Boice. How marvelous, how wise, how great, how infinite to contemplate Jehovah's saving plan. He saw me in my lost estate, yet purpose to regenerate this faithless fallen man. But the emphasis there, how marvelous, how wise, how great, how infinite to contemplate Jehovah's saving plan. The wisdom of God. Thanksgiving, how worthy God is of thanksgiving for all He's done for us in Christ.

Honor, He's to be honored for what He's done. Power, power. Paul would say in his letter to the church in Corinth, the message of the cross is what? It's foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the what? Power of God.

The power of God. Now that context, those who are being saved, is speaking of God's sanctifying work, but it's a sanctifying power. God raising us from the dead, God imparting spiritual life to dead men takes power. And that's what the angels are rejoicing in. And then might, God bearing His arm, His mighty right arm in the salvation of sinners. You see, all eternity will echo with praise like this. And it's why we do well to find these patterns and find these emphases and find these themes in scripture and do our best to mirror our worship here on earth, in the church, as we direct and lead in worship. That when we get there, it won't be strange to us. It won't be man-centered, it will be God-centered. And we'll be used to having our hearts directed toward God and singing to God and worshiping God around these themes of blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might. Robert Mouse writes, How unbelievably great will be the joyful adoration of the heavenly host when all of the redeemed stand before their God.

I trust tonight that you can see yourself in that throng, that you can see yourself in that place. It's good for us to engage in some sanctified imagination where we think and contemplate what life will be like after this world. Where will we be? What will we be doing? And it's good to find ourselves if we've been redeemed, if we are children of God, we know ourselves to be saved and forgiven of our sins, that we will be in that multitude, we will be in that number, we're represented in that vision that John has been privileged to get.

But it's not for those who simply have a profession, an empty profession. I'm going to remind you of what Jesus had to say when he came to Mary and Martha and they were grieving over the death of Lazarus and Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life, he who believeth in me, though we were dead, yet shall he live. And then he says, He who liveth and believeth in me shall never die. And then the question, believeth thou this, he who liveth and believeth in me.

Sometimes people miss that liveth part. The focus is on, well, I've believed on Jesus, I've asked Jesus into my heart, I'm trusting Jesus. Okay, how do we know if you have? We know you have if you are living for Jesus.

If you're living this faith, but if there's a disconnect between what you say you believe and the way you're living your life, then you haven't believed in the way Jesus says you need to do in order to be insured of eternal life. Well, this vision becomes animated when we get to chapter 13. The text says, then one of the elders answered, saying to me. So here John is observing this vision and then all of a sudden it becomes very personal to him because one of the elders, similar to what we are told in Revelation chapter 5 and verse 4, remember when John was weeping because there was no one worthy to take the scroll and open the scroll and read it and reveal its content. And then an elder, it says an elder came and said to John, do not weep for the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed. Well, this is the second time that an elder is speaking to him.

And again, as I say, it becomes animated. John is one of the elders answered saying to me, who are these arrayed in white robes and where did they come from? Two questions, both related.

Who are these in white robes and where did they come from? So the who question and the where question. And when somebody who is of an angelic character asks a question, John does the right thing. He defers.

He doesn't seek to answer the question. He says, what does he say? And I said to him, sir, you know. He passed the buck. He said, sir, you know.

And he did know. So he said to me, these are the ones who come out of the Great Tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Two parts to that question. Who are they? And where did they come from? These are the ones who come out of the Great Tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. I think if we answer the second question, it'll help us answer the first question. And the second question is, where did they come from?

I'm sorry. The two part question is, who are these arrayed in white robes and where did they come from? And again, the question is, these are the ones who come out of the Great Tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Who are the ones who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb? Well, they're the same ones that are pictured by John in the vision, the great multitude dressed in white.

It's not a subcategory. It's representative of the whole. There are some who look at this and say, well, he's speaking of a subcategory of another group of people, lesser than the multitude.

No, I don't think that context can support that interpretation. Who are these who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb? Well, they're the multitude who have been redeemed. They've been cleansed. They've been washed. They've been justified. They've been given the white robe of Christ's righteousness. That's who they are. And then the first part of the question. Who are these?

Who are these? Now, in fairness, as we make our way through the Book of the Revelation, we're going to come to the beast, and we're going to come to the Antichrist, and we're going to come to how they make havoc and bring terrible turmoil and affliction and persecution upon the earth. So there will be, I believe, an intensification of persecution that will come upon those who are on the earth. Jesus said as much. You remember in... Let me read from the Olivet Discourse, Matthew chapter 24. He says in verse 21, For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been seen since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.

So Jesus is indicating that there will be a time of intensified persecution that will try the church and try the saints of God, and apart from God's preservation, even the elect would fall away. But we must not get lost in all of this discussion and miss this major point. Trials and persecutions are not just likely or possible for some. They are the norm. They are to be expected. And we say that so often, but I think it needs to be said often because too often we entertain thoughts. We're guilty of anticipating. And wondering and questioning when difficulties do come, Lord, why is this happening to me?

What have I done? And we fail to realize that this is what's been promised. This is what we are to expect. This is what we are to anticipate. Peter said in 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse 12, Beloved, do not be surprised when fiery trials come upon you as though some strange thing were happening to you. But I think sometimes that's exactly the way we act.

We're surprised. You know, Christianity in our lifetime is abnormal. The normal Christian life is one that is met with difficulty, persecution, opposition.

That's the way it's been throughout the history of the church. So, remember what John is doing. John is writing to the church, to the churches of Asia Minor, to warn them and to fortify them against tribulation, against persecution. And he's not talking about something that's in the far distance. He's talking about something that's very real and very personal and very much a part of their existence.

It's a threat to them right now. Remember what John said as he began this letter? I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. All of his contemporaries had died to martyrs' death. And here John is banished to the island of Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

He's a brother in the tribulation. So, all through history the church has suffered and endured and has endured terrible persecutions for the sake of the gospel. Some of you have been in the church history summer elective class, and I've heard really good things about that class from a number of people. Some have already inquired, is that going to continue next summer? That's been so good.

And, Lord willing, I'll need to talk to the teachers in there to see if they're willing and able to continue, but most likely yes. But think with me a little bit about church history, the English Reformation. During the English Reformation there was the reign of Bloody Mary. Preachers, gospel preachers, were rounded up, tied to the stake. Wood was piled up around the stake and they were set on fire.

They sang and preached to their death. Kept by the power of God, kept by the Holy Spirit of God. And the same Holy Spirit that kept them will keep us in that hour, in that day, if God will's persecution come our way.

I was told something this morning by a brother, and I haven't had the time to confirm it. I'm not even sure how to go about confirming it, but he told me, through some people he knows and sources that they have contact with, that the underground church, the church in Afghanistan, was a number not too awful long ago of about 300, but it's grown to 3,000 in the midst of this upheaval and this persecution and this threat. It's the way God works, and it's cause for rejoicing. What about the persecution that's going on in Sudan and in northern Nigeria? The persecution that's going on in Muslim areas, Muslim terrorists, the persecution of the church in China. One commentator said this, quote, it would be difficult to tell a Christian in China, Iraq, or North Korea today that the tribulation has not yet started, end of quote. So what I'm saying to you is that the great tribulation that's mentioned there, these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation. I'm not going to be dogmatic and say that that could not represent a time, a period of time in church history that will precede the coming of Christ.

It very likely could be, might be. I don't know what God wills and will come upon the church, but I think we can see the winds in our day, that things are not going to get easier for believing Christians. It's going to be more costly to identify yourself as a Christian, that there is the threat of increased opposition and persecution that is coming upon the church in America, and it is being felt even, not future, but right now with many Christians around the world. They're the ones who came out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. Now it's interesting if you think about what's said there in relationship to what is said to God in worship. Remember what was said to God in worship? Salvation, remember? In verse 10, salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the lamb. Salvation belongs to our God. And then down here in verse 15, they are the ones who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. It's something that they have done, and we wonder how do we reconcile that salvation is of the Lord, and here is a description of what people have done. They've washed their robes.

They've made themselves white. Well, how does that happen? How does a person, how is a person justified? How is a person cleansed? Well, that happens when people trust in Jesus. Personal faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ causes that to happen. And it's thrilling to think about the fact that at the moment we believe, at the moment we trust, at the moment we cast ourselves upon the mercy of God and on the merits of His Son, we are forgiven. We are cleansed of all of our sins, past, present, and future. We are accepted based on the fact that Jesus paid our sin debt in full. We are in possession of, at that point, eternal life. John 3 verse 36, whoever believes in the Son has, has eternal life.

That's good news. We come to verse 15. When we come here, we have a reminder of what our future looks like.

Here's what our future looks like. Notice the word therefore. 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 dwell among them.

They are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple. Now the word temple refers not to the structure of a building, but rather to the holy of holies, which is the place where God dwells. John will explain later that there is no temple in the New Jerusalem. There will be no physical building because the Lamb Himself is the temple. John will explain that the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. So being in the presence of God before His throne and serving Him unceasingly can be compared to the role of the high priest in the old Levitical order. You remember that they were able to go into the holy of holies once a year to represent themselves and to represent the people of God. But here, we won't be there just once in a while or one time a year.

We will be there continually. 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 dwell among them. John is going to show us three things here about our future.

Let me enumerate them for you. Number one, he speaks about the shelter that God provides for His people. The shelter that God provides for His people with His own glorious presence. The ESV, the English Standard Version, brings this out there at the end of verse 15. He who sits on the throne will what? Will shelter them with His presence, is what the ESV says. Will dwell with them, the New King James says. In His temple, in His presence, there we will be filled with all the fullness of God. God will shelter us.

Amazing. We'll know the fullness of salvation in a way that we could never have understood it before. Number two, he speaks about the blessing that is experienced in the shelter of His presence. Notice verse 16. They shall neither hunger anymore, nor thirst anymore.

The sun shall not strike them, nor any heat. They shall neither hunger anymore, nor thirst anymore. What he's talking about there is a salvation rest. There is a salvation rest, a full salvation rest that awaits us. Yes, we are resting in Christ while we're living out our Christian life on this earth. But even as we are resting in Christ and His person and finished work, we still hunger, we still thirst, we still are living our life under the curse. But in that day, in that day, there will be no hungering, there will be no thirsting, there will be no sun beating down upon us.

And the reason I think John makes reference to that is because they were nomads, they were pilgrims, they lived in the desert, they lived in a place that was hard to find shelter from the sun. Yes, the bliss of salvation rest, continual, perpetual needs being met, no longer hungering, no longer thirsting, no longer worrying and toiling under the curse of sin, all removed, paradise has been restored. And then he speaks about the eternal shepherding of the Lamb. Notice he says, verse 17, For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. He will lead us not merely to the living water but to the very source of the living water, to the springs of the living water. He is the source of eternal life and therefore we will drink with all of our needs fully met and satisfied. David, the shepherd boy, penned Psalm 23 and he talks about, he comes to the end about my cup overflows.

It's like here we are, needy, hungry, thirsty and we have our cup turned up and God in His grace and abundance fills the cup of our needs to overflowing. That's what it will be like. We'll know nothing of need.

All of our needs will be fully met and satisfied. And then verse 17 concludes, And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

No more tears. Now again, keep in mind how the book of Revelation is structured. John keeps drawing on these visions and he keeps relating more and more detail. The book is not chronological. Here we are being reminded of things that are similar to what we read in Revelation chapter 21 in verse 4, where God will wipe away every tear.

Remember? Listen to the similarity. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then he who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.

And he said to me, Write, for these things are true and faithful. Well, here's a mirror of the very same thing, but here we are only at the end of chapter 7. So, if you're reading the book of the Revelation chronologically, you're going to be very confused. You're going to say, well, how's this different from Revelation chapter 21?

And the answer is, there is no difference. John will keep revisiting these scenes and giving us more and more detail, and it's to encourage us. It's to encourage the suffering saints, the persecuted Christians of John's day, that they would persevere, that they would endure, they would continue, because this is what awaits you. This is what God has promised. No more tears.

Every loss will be repaid with interest. Every grief will be met with joy. Every longing fulfilled in glory.

One commentator summarizes this portion, speaking about the suffering church of John's day and the suffering church of today. He says this, as God's people, we have security today, but our tomorrow is unspeakably glorious. We're secure. God is with us. God will see us through whatever comes.

But oh, an eye toward the future. Unspeakable glory. I found it interesting this morning that we sang a hymn that I had chosen to read to you. It was hymn number 653 in our hymn book, so I won't turn to that one. But in light of what we've considered here in Revelation chapter 7, a great multitude which no man can number round a throne, listen to the words of another song that we sang this morning.

Before the throne of God above, before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea. When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look and see Him there, who made an end to all my sin. That's what we need.

That's the perspective we need. That's why we need the benefit of this perspective that John is giving to us. Behold Him there, the risen Lamb, my perfect, spotless righteousness, the great, unchangeable I am, the King of glory and of grace. Again, I'm reminding you that we try and sing hymns that reflect the praise that we see given in the Scriptures, so that we're not a stranger when we get there. We're going to sing a new song, and when we sing a new song there, it's going to echo in our minds the themes and the things that we sang as a body of believers here. And it should thrill us, it should encourage us, and should help us on our way to God. Will you bow with me as we pray? Father, how we thank you for what awaits us, your church, the people of God, the ransomed of all the ages. Thank you for giving John this vision. Thank you for preserving it for our edification and for our encouragement. How we thank you that you are God, that you are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, that you are superintending our salvation, that salvation belongs to you, and it's all to the praise of your glory. We conclude with the words of Paul ringing in our ears. Oh, the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God. How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out. For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.