“These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship [H]im day and night within [H]is temple, and the [O]ne who is seated upon the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their [S]hepherd, and [H]e will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7: 14-17, NRSV)
Dear Lord, may Your Holy Spirit speak to our hearts as we endeavor to understand Your promise to us. Amen
The promise for today is for those who will go through, or have gone through, what is described as, “the great ordeal.” Prophetically, this time is described as “a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence” (Daniel 12: 1). No doubt, there is some speculation as to when this time is, or was, or will be, and, who these people are. It is not my intention to be the last voice in the discussion. By God’s grace, I will simply share with “whosoever will,” the impressions I receive as I meditate upon the Word of the LORD.
As I have read, or listened to recounts of history, past and present, at times I have recoiled in horror at some of the atrocities that have been committed by human beings. Some of these acts have been committed in the name of religion, others in the name of politics, and still others, simply as the result of humanity’s cruelty to humanity. To some who have had to live through these excruciating experiences, I guess they could describe it as “a time of anguish such as never was since there was a nation.”
Nevertheless, I believe that this “great ordeal” refers, in a special way, to a time of religious persecution, at the end of time. Many will have to take a stand for what we believe, even if it means going against the status quo. We may have to suffer the consequences of our decisions. “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify…You will be hated by all because of my name” (Luke 21: 12, 13, 17). This will not be easy, but God will provide us with the strength to stand firm, “but [H]e said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness…’ Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12: 9a, 10).
Those whose blood has been shed for the sake of Jesus Christ have had their robes washed in the blood of the Lamb. And to them, as well as to us, He has promised: “For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind” (Isaiah 65: 17). The wonderful bounty that He has prepared for us, is so superior to the sufferings that we may endure now, that the reality will eclipse, by far, the pain that is past.
When our suffering becomes so intense, and we believe that nothing could be worse, may God help us to remember that there is a better day ahead, and there is nothing on this earth that can compare with it!