Revelation 7:9-17: a reflection

9After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. 10They cried with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation be to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before his throne, and worshiped God, 12saying, “Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13One of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and where did they come from?” 14I told him, “My lord, you know.” He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great suffering. They washed their robes and made them white in the Lamb’s blood. 15Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them. 16They will never be hungry or thirsty any more. The sun won’t beat on them, nor any heat; 17for the Lamb who is in the middle of the throne shepherds them and leads them to springs of life-giving waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

John is shown a glorious vision: a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing before the throne and the Lamb, robed in white, crying out salvation to our God. And who are they? These are they who have come out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They had come through suffering; and now, before the throne, all their suffering is over: they hunger and thirst no more, and God wipes every tear from their eyes.

Notice who this multitude is, and where their suffering leads. They are the ones who came out of great tribulation, who suffered; and now they stand before the throne, their robes made white by the Lamb, their suffering ended. No more hunger, no more thirst, no more scorching heat; and God himself wipes every tear from their eyes, the Lamb their shepherd, leading them to springs of living water. The suffering they came through has given way to this: the end of all hunger, thirst, and tears, in the presence of God.

That vision is a great hope for all who suffer now. The multitude before the throne came out of great tribulation; they suffered, as we suffer. But their suffering was not the end; it gave way to the presence of God, where hunger and thirst and tears are no more, and God himself wipes every tear from their eyes. Your own suffering, if you are Christ's, is not the end; it leads, through the tribulation, to the throne of God, where all suffering ends, and God wipes away every tear. When you suffer, hold the hope of this vision: the great multitude who came through tribulation now stand before the throne, their tears wiped away, their suffering ended, in the presence of God. Your tears will be wiped away, your hunger and thirst satisfied, your suffering ended, in the presence of God; hold this hope through your present tribulation, for the suffering you come through leads, for those who are Christ's, to the throne where God himself will wipe away every tear from your eyes, and you will hunger and thirst no more.

Lord, John was shown a glorious vision: a great multitude no one could count, from every nation, standing before the throne and the Lamb, robed in white; and they are those who came out of great tribulation, and washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb; now they hunger and thirst no more, and you wipe every tear from their eyes. Show me who this multitude is, and where their suffering leads. They came through suffering; and now they stand before the throne, their suffering ended, no more hunger or thirst or tears, the Lamb their shepherd, leading them to springs of living water. Give me that great hope, for I suffer now. The multitude before the throne came out of great tribulation; they suffered, as I suffer. But their suffering was not the end; it gave way to your presence, where hunger and thirst and tears are no more. My own suffering, if I am Christ's, is not the end; it leads, through the tribulation, to your throne, where all suffering ends, and you wipe away every tear. When I suffer, help me hold the hope of this vision: the great multitude who came through tribulation now stand before the throne, their tears wiped away. My tears will be wiped away, my hunger and thirst satisfied, my suffering ended, in your presence; help me hold this hope through my present tribulation, Lord, for the suffering I come through leads, for those who are Christ's, to the throne where you will wipe away every tear. Thank you for so great a hope.