The roar of the nations!
“After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!... These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation…” – Revelation 7:9-10,14, CSB
The nations are worshiping
The Tribulation. It struck terror into me as a child. Words like “left behind” and “persecution” took center stage in my young heart. Yet here in Revelation 7 center stage is something else: the throne of God and the Lamb. Here, we find a vast, multicultural worship gathering with representation from every nation, every tribe, every people, and every language of the world celebrating the Lamb of God and the salvation God has worked through Jesus. This innumerable multitude of joyful worshipers is ‘coming out of’ that same Great Tribulation that so terrified me in my childhood.
Captivating, permeating gospel
It's striking that these people from across the cultures and nations of the world are more captivated by the gospel than they are of the shaking global systems and the very real sufferings of persecution. Have they have experienced great suffering, great difficulty, and great persecution? Yes, and yet the gospel of Jesus Christ occupies a much greater focus. The same joy of salvation through Jesus Christ that they are celebrating is right now in the wonderful process of permeating and infusing hope into every culture in the world, capturing and captivating the hearts of men and women, young and old. God is saving and sealing multitudes (Rev. 7:4), and no tribulation can hold a candle to the glorious salvation He is working!
Think:
Whatever your ‘end times’ theology or understanding of eschatology is, what takes center stage in your heart and mind when it comes to Revelation? How do you think that affects your approach to the advance of the kingdom of God in your current time and situation?
If every nation, tribe, and tongue will be represented in heaven’s worshiping multitude, what does that suggest about the effectiveness of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
There are currently many peoples and cultures in the world that are still considered ‘unreached’ with the gospel. Right in your own neighborhood or city there are also families that are still unreached. Is there a particular family or culture that comes to mind that you could be used by God to reach with the glorious good news of Jesus? Ask Him to fill your heart with love for them.
Prayer:
“Lord Jesus, thank You for this glimpse into the rejoicing of Your diverse people that You are seeking and saving across the nations of the world! May Your gospel occupy center stage in our hearts and minds, and in my own heart and mind! Continue filling my vision with Your global effectiveness at winning hearts to Yourself, and may the gospel empower the hearts of Your people to persevere together through every trial and tribulation we encounter. No matter how great those trials or tribulations, Jesus, Your name is greater!”