May it please Almighty God to
bless us together this morning as we meditate in His Holy Word. Let's turn to the book of the
Revelation, chapter 7, and we'll read verses 13 to 15. The book of the Revelation, chapter
7, and reading verses 13 to 15. And one of the elders answered,
saying unto me, what are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? And I said
unto him, sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, these are
they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore
are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night
in his temple, and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among
them. The Bible is a very large book. But we don't read very much about
heaven in it. There are just a few places,
really, in the Bible where we can read what heaven is like,
what it will be like. And it's good for us just to
sometimes ponder the reality of what heaven is like. Heaven will not be a worldly
place. It describes in these verses
from verse 9, John who was, you know, on the Isle of Patmos when
God gave him this revelation. He was the last disciple to lose
his life. He was an old man when this was
given. And here we have these words, After this I beheld, and
lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations,
and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne
and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in
their hands. So there we have the picture
of the vast assembly of those who are the born-again Church
of God. And then we're told what they
do. cried of a loud voice saying
salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and unto the
Lamb. It would seem therefore that
was God the Father on the throne and the Lamb the Lord Jesus Christ
which we know is seated of course on the right hand of the Father. And all the angels stood round
about the throne and about the elders and and the four beasts
and fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God,
saying, Amen. Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God
forever and ever. Amen. So, we have a little picture
there. of the heavenly situation and
the Church of God. And it's a wonderful blessing
to have such a picture set before us. Now, when I was young, I've
told you this before, but I'll tell you again, when I was a
young man, a teenager, I remember thinking, well, I don't really
want to spend eternity in an environment like that. And therefore, what should I
do? I didn't want to be cast into
hell, in that terrible environment. So there I was, really, in no
man's land. And it was very wonderful, really,
at that time. I met with a man, Clive Jeffries. it's one of his
poems in the GS this month I think and down in Studley and we conversed
together and we found that we were both in the same situation
that we both really didn't want heaven that may sound a terrible
confession but it's good to be honest in these things and also
we definitely didn't want to go to hell so what were we to
do? well we agreed that we could
and would pray that God would give us a desire for heaven and
heavenly realities now you young people it's good
to be honest in the things of God, and you should not imagine
that heaven's going to be a worldly place. I remember hearing somebody,
a professing Christian, said he hoped they'd better play cricket
in heaven, because he loved cricket and he wanted therefore to do
it. He clearly had a totally misunderstanding of what heaven
was. And you may ask young people, why couldn't we play cricket
in heaven? Why couldn't we play any games
in heaven? Purely because of this. Heaven
is a holy place. And there is no sin in heaven. And if you and I play games,
we always want to be on the winning side. And what is the effect
of that? It's because of our pride. And pride, of course, is a sin. So therefore, it's not possible
to be occupied in anything in heaven which would produce pride
and would produce sin. It's good sometimes just to,
therefore, analyze ourselves and realize there is nothing
worldly in heaven it is a holy place it's a place set apart
for worship and it would be good if you're honest and really conclude
that you don't want a place of worship and you would only want
a place of worship when you realize what a debt you owe to the lord
jesus christ and to the father and to the holy spirit in all
that great and glorious work of redemption to save your soul,
to realise that you will want to praise God. And I believe
the Church of God were never weary of praising God. They were joined together in
that wonderful environment And so we have then this picture
here before us. And then one of the elders, he
asked the question to John. And the question was this, what
are these which are arrayed in white robes and whence came they? Well, John wasn't able to answer
that question. So therefore he turned to the
elder that had asked the question. And he said this, Sir, thou knowest. And the elder answered that question.
And the question was answered in this way. All those who were
there, that great multitude, they were all united in this
same condition, and all the Church of God who get to glory will
be united in this same condition. And if you and I get to glory,
you and I will be united in the same situation and same condition. And so the answer was, these
are they which came out of great tribulation. and have washed
their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. So,
if we are to be found in glory, this will be true of you and
me. So first of all, he tells them, these are they which came out
of great tribulation. Well, perhaps we don't like to
think of that. Perhaps we like to think of our
life on this earth as a smooth life with nothing to disturb
us and enjoy all the vanities of time. Well, that's not what
these words describe to us. It's very clear in this statement
that we will be amongst those who, in this world, passed through,
and it doesn't say tribulation. It says great tribulation. And I believe that can be taken
two ways. First of all, it can be taken
in our natural life. And secondly, it can be taken
in our spiritual life. So be assured of this. God's
word is true. And therefore, you and I will
find, as we travel on, and as we are being prepared for our
eternal home in glory, we will pass through this world with
this situation, great tribulation. Naturally, we somehow seem to
think that applies to everybody else. we're going to escape it somehow
somehow there's an escape route for us well the Word of God doesn't
tell us that it tells us that if we are to get to glory we
will be amongst those who have passed through this world and
endured great tribulation so you and I should not be surprised
when perhaps things don't go as smoothly as we want perhaps
as smoothly as we expect sometimes people foolishly think that once
they are converted that everything will be wonderfully smooth well
recognize that when you and I are converted the devil increases
his activity against us. And the devil's desire is to
overturn our faith. His great desire is to bring
us into that place where we possess an evil heart of unbelief. He wants us to doubt the truth
of God. He wants us to doubt the work
of God. He wants us to doubt the Word
of God that we have in the Scriptures. He is very anxious and very keen
to do this. And the truth is he never gives
up this side of the grave. So therefore don't think that
life will be nice and smooth. It won't be. And if it is, very
smooth perhaps we have to question whether our conversion is true
whether it's right because here we have this statement as he
says these are they which came out of great tribulation well
what a wonderful blessing it is then to have that good hope
good hope that we do come out of great tribulation. And it
will be an encouragement to us and it will put things in a right
perspective when we perhaps almost have to come and cry out, can
ever God do I hear? Because of the evil of our nature,
our sinful state by nature. And it won't be a happy experience
And it won't be a glorious testimony, but it will be a glorious testimony
to realize that by the grace of God, the free unmerited favor,
we are overcomers through him, our great savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ. This will put things in a right
perspective and this will enable us to endure and to Stand fast. We are to stand fast against
all the opposition the devil brings before us. And don't be
surprised, therefore, if that is the situation that you and
I find ourselves in. And so says the elder, these
are they which came out of great tribulation. There is a deliverance. We're not left there. There is
a deliverance. And what a glorious deliverance
it will be when we find ourself safe home in glory. Now we may be encouraged as we
travel on through our little life by, as we might term, helps
by the way. The Lord comes to us where we
are. The Lord draws near to us. And he shows us the cost of our
salvation. And that's the reason why we're
able to come and say, with a loud voice. It's good, isn't it, to
read such a statement. And they cried out in a loud
voice, saying, salvation to our God. Salvation to our God. He's the one who redeems us. He's the one. that saves our
soul. And the great truth is that you
and I won't arrive in heaven as a stranger to such truths
as this. We will begin the new song on
this earth. that song of praise unto our
God. And therefore, if you and I have
never praised God, if we've never been thankful to God for all
that he has done for our immortal soul, there's no evidence that
we shall be found in glory at last. The great and wonderful
work of God begins on this earth. And what a mercy it is, therefore,
to have the evidence of it and to truly praise God for it and
to be thankful for it. You see, the Church of God here
are described as they are before the throne of God and serve him.
day and night in his temple and he that sits on the throne and
shall dwell among them. Glory in Emmanuel's land. What a mercy therefore if while
we're on this earth we have a glimpse of what it's like to be found
in glory and then a little desire to be found with the Savior and
with the whole Church of God, that number that no man can number. It's wonderful, isn't it, to
think of that time in glory when we should have done with all
the vanities of this life, all the poor things of this world. And therefore, the elder comes
and he tells John very clearly, In answer to that question, what
are these which are arrayed in white robes and whence came they?
And he was told, these are they which came in a great tribulation
and, and, it's linked to it, and have washed their robes and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb. What that means
is, we shall be clean, we shall be redeemed, we shall have been
washed indeed. What a wonderful blessing it
is, you know, the Apostle Paul, when he wrote to the Corinthians,
he described something of the situation of what we're like
by nature in the sixth chapter He tells us, know ye not that
the unrighteous, those who are not washed, shall not inherit
the kingdom of God. And he tells us, be not deceived. You see, the devil will try and
pretend. You'll be all right. Don't worry about these things.
Follow the word of God. Don't listen to the devil. Be
not deceived. Very clear, isn't it? Neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor
abusers themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the
kingdom of God. I was going to say exhaustive. It's a very inclusive list, isn't
it? And he says, and such were some of you. well by God's grace,
what a mercy if you and I can examine ourselves and have to
confirm we're no better we are condemned by the law of God and
such were some of you but says the Apostle but ye are washed
but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of
the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Well, that's a glorious
truth, isn't it? And that's true of every believer. And how wonderful, therefore,
if you and I can recognize the wonder of it. As we look at ourselves,
I have to say, really like David had to when he was before the
prophet and when he was told, thou art the man. And he had
to confess he was. You and I won't be able to turn
around and say, well, I'm not like that. I live a perfect life. We'll have to confess. We're
the men. We're the women. Guilty indeed. But what a blessing then to enter
in to this great and glorious truth and to know that we're
washed, we're sanctified and we're justified. And how is that
done? How is that accomplished? Well,
we're told, and have washed their robes and made them white in
the blood of the Lamb. what does that do? that directs
us to the glorious death of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the
Lamb of God John the Baptist after he had baptised the Lord
Jesus in that first chapter of John's Gospel he said to the
multitude behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin
of the world. And my friends, by faith, by
faith, all of us need to come and stand in that
place and behold the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Behold Him as the suffering Saviour
and to believe that through His Glorious death. You and I have
been washed in the blood of the Lamb. There's no unbeliever in
glory. There's no sinner in glory. Every
single person found around that throne of God in heaven have
been washed, have been sanctified and are indeed glorified. It's a glorious truth, isn't
it? And so as we have these wonderful
glimpses in the Word of God as to the favour and blessing that
the Church of God will enjoy eternally, And so just to realise
how important it is that you and I realise, in answer to that
question, whence came they? Whence came they? And we realise
that if we're to be one of those, we shall walk this path. And
it's not a path where any escape, It's a path of the Church of
God. And here it is. We come out of
great tribulation. We're delivered from the body
of sin and death. And we're received into glory. We leave behind all that is which
is of the flesh. And we're received into glory. Remember those great and wonderful
words that the Lord Jesus spoke when he was in the upper room
to his disciples? And he told them, let not your
heart be troubled. They were going to have to endure
much tribulation. He told them, let not your heart
be troubled. You believe in God, believe also
in me. In my Father's house are many
mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you, I go to prepare a place for you. Just think of that. The Saviour gone to glory to
prepare a place for every believer. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again. and receive you unto myself,
that where I am, there ye may be also. It's very humbling to
think that Almighty God will come and receive us individually unto himself, so that where he
is, there we shall be also. He goes on and says this, and
whither I go, ye know. Well, the way to glory is set
before us in the Word of God. And it's set before us really
in these verses that we've read together. And whither I go, ye
know, and the way ye know. Yes, it's not an easy journey. but it'll be a successful journey. And as the apostle tells us,
I reckon that the sufferings in this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory which we should enjoy. And again, it's good as perhaps. Sometimes we find the way perhaps
exceedingly difficult. Well, remember, it's through
much tribulation. But what a blessing to realize
that God's gone before, and as Paul tells us, he calculated
it, he reckoned it, he knew what the benefit was, and he had to
pass through so much opposition. As I often say, it's good to
compare our lives with the Apostle Paul, which he sets before us
in the Corinthian epistle. It gives us a rundown of all
the opposition that he had to endure. He didn't complain, because
he knew the benefit of it. it set his heart and his affections
upon things above so what a good thing it will be for us and in
that same chapter you know in the 8th chapter Romans again
the Apostle draws our attention as he comes to the end of that
chapter and he tells us who and who shall Separate us
from the love of Christ. Shall tribulation? Shall great
tribulation? No, it won't. Or distress? No, it won't. Or persecution? No, it won't. Or famine? Or nakedness? Or peril? Or sword? None of those things
will separate us from the love of Christ. Christ's love is inseparable. Isn't it wonderful? If Christ
has loved us, and if we've tasted a little of that love, it's an
inseparable love. It won't be taken away. And so
the apostle goes on, he says, as it is written, for thy sake
we are killed all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for
the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him that loved us. He gives the two opposites, doesn't
he? Accounted as sheep for the slaughter
and then more than conquerors. It's good to read the word of
God carefully and thoroughly. And then he tells us, for I am
persuaded He was persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature
shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord. we praise God for such a comprehensive
statement and we're thankful indeed that we have such a God
and although we have much tribulation again the Apostle outlines it
a little bit earlier in this eighth chapter to the Romans
he tells us likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities
For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot
be uttered. God knows sometimes if we groan
other people aren't aware of it. But God knows if we groan with
groanings which cannot be uttered. Yes, he knows all about us and
how wonderful it is. Again, he says we grown, we ourselves
grown within ourselves. Within ourselves. Because of
the evil which we find hiding there and separating us between
our soul and our God. Well, it's a mercy. if we understand
something of the greatness of these truths. See, as I said,
there's not much in the Word of God about the glory of heaven
and the situation in heaven and those who are there. But may
you and I have a real hunger and thirst after spiritual blessings. Because as we come to the end
of this 7th chapter, the Apostle tells us this, They shall hunger
no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on
them, nor any heat, for the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, which
is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them. Let's ponder
that. You and me, unworthy sinners,
vile sinners, will be amongst those who are
fed by the Saviour himself. And shall lead them unto living
fountains and waters, And God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes. As we come towards the end of
this book of the Revelation, again there's a few more words
of encouragement. And in the 19th chapter, just
the first verses, the Apostle says this, And after these things
I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia,
salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God. For true and righteous are his
judgments, for he has judged the great whore which did corrupt
the earth with her fornication and has avenged the blood of
his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. Praise the Lord. It's wonderful,
isn't it? To think that'll be the song of the redeemed in glory. What a great and wonderful blessing
it is. And then the apostle tells us
in the 21st chapter in the first verses, And I saw a new heaven
and a new earth. For the first heaven and the
first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. No
more sea in heaven. We won't be by the seaside and
go swimming and anything like that. Nothing like that at all.
And there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city,
New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. prepared as
a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out
of heaven saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is with men
and he will dwell with them. And they shall be his people
and God himself shall be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes and there shall be no more death. Neither sorrow
nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former
things are passed away. Well, that's a wonderful view,
isn't it? A little bit more of what heaven
will be like, and a wonder to recognise the glory of it. And then again, in the very last
chapter, in the 22nd chapter of Revelation, John tells us,
and he showed me a pure river of water of life. clear as crystal,
proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. And in the midst of the street
of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree
of life, which bared twelve manners of fruits, and yielded her fruit
every month. And the leaves of the tree were
for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse,
But the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and
his servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face,
and his name shall be in their foreheads, and there shall be
no night there, and they shall need no candle, neither light
of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall
reign for ever and ever. Well that's the Word of God and
that's truth. The truth of God's Word and may
it be an encouragement to us and may we have a right view
of glory. And if we don't have a desire
to be found in that place of glory then may we earnestly pray
to God that he will give us a desire It's a good prayer, my friends,
and God hears and answers such prayers. And you will rejoice
when God has brought you to that position, when you see a wonderful
prospect and a wonderful picture, and to think that by God's grace,
one day we shall indeed behold the Lamb of God, the taker of
the way, the sin of the world and that glorious saviour who
has cleansed us and has washed us in his own blood. To make the
blood of Christ very glorious and very precious. To realise
how we need washing and how the almighty God because of his grace
and love and mercy, washes us, cleanses us from all sin. It's hard to realise, isn't it,
that we as unworthy sinners will be cleansed, we will be washed
and we shall have eternity to praise our God. God the Father
and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit who were all involved
in our salvation. And to think that we are saved
through the shedding of this wonderful blood. Precious blood. How do we view these things?
How do we think of these things? Perhaps we don't think of them.
But may we think of them. And may we pray to God that they
may be made over to us as very real and very precious. and have that personal experience
that Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, as the Apostle Paul
said, the saved sinners of whom I am chief, may we stand on that
ground. and believe that he came to save
our souls, of whom we are chief. And where are these words then?
Tell us. One of the elders answered, saying
unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes, and
whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou
knowest. And he said to me, These are
they which came out of great tribulation, and washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore
are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night
in his temple. And he that sitteth on the throne
shall dwell among them.