“The Lamb Will Be Their Shepherd”
[Revelation 7:2-17]
November 7, 2010 Second Reformed Church
Today is All Saints’ Sunday, and we have heard one of the Lectionary Scriptures for today from chapter seven of the book of Revelation. All Saints is a time to remember those who had died and been received into eternal life by their God. We have a time when we name family members and friends who have been received into their reward and also our animal companions.
Before we look at the actual text, we need to understand a few things about John’s book: Many people think that the book of Revelation is a fearsome book that we ought to avoid, but that is not the case: the book of Revelation is a book of hope. Its difficulty is that it is written in a first century Jewish code to keep Romans who might intercept the book from understanding the message of hope that John was sending to the Christians who were being severely persecuted by Emperor Nero of Rome.
John tells his readers that while he was exiled on the Island of Patmos, he was given a series of visions concerning the persecution of the Church and her victory in Christ.
In verses two and three, John tells us that John saw an angel come from the sun with the seal of the living God. The seal of the living God is God the Holy Spirit Who lives in everyone who believes in Jesus Alone for salvation. And this angel calls out to four other angels who have been given the power to harm the earth and the sea. Four, in Jewish numerology, is the whole Creation. We talk about the four corners of the earth, the four seasons, and so forth. And the first angel tells the other four angels not to harm the earth and the sea or the trees until we have sealed all the servants of God on their forehead.
So, if the Holy Spirit seals all those who are saved by faith alone through Jesus Alone, John is assuring his readers that God will not allow the end to come until every person who will ever believe – the elect – profess faith in Jesus. Jesus will not lose one that the Father has given Him. The end will not come until everyone that God intends to save is saved.
Then John tells his readers in verses four through eight that twelve thousand people will be saved in each of the twelve tribes of Israel – a total of 144,000. Twelve thousand from the tribe of Judah. Twelve thousand from the tribe of Reuben. Twelve thousand from the tribe of Gad. Twelve thousand from the tribe of Asher. Twelve thousand from the tribe of Naphtali. Twelve thousand from the tribe of Manasseh. Twelve thousand from the tribe of Simeon. Twelve thousand from the tribe of Levi. Twelve thousand from the tribe of Issachar. Twelve thousand from the tribe of Zebulun. Twelve thousand from the tribe of Joseph. Twelve thousand from the tribe of Benjamin.
So, let us understand here that God will save the full number of those He chose to save out of the nation of Israel – that is, biological Jews. But why 144,000? When we consider the number of people on earth – and the number of Jews that have come to professes faith in Jesus as the Messiah – the Savior – that number is way too small. We may know that the Jehovah’s Witnessers teach that the 144,000 are only those who believe in their religion – and they say the 144,00 is a real, literal number – which makes for problems for them, since far more than 144,000 have believed in their religion. But they have figured a way out – the 144,000 – they say – are the Jehovah’s Witnesses on the top floor of the House of God – those with penthouse suites.
But what did John intend for them to understand? How would a first century Jew have understood the number 144,000? Well, 144 is twelve squared. And twelve among other things, is three times four. Four, we have said, is the fullness of Creation. Three is perfect communion – or perfect community. 1,000 is ten to the third power, and, for the Jews, whenever something is raised to the third power, it is indicating an absolute. So, when the Scripture tells us that God is holy, holy, holy – we are being told that God is absolutely holy and there is none more holy than God. So, this is again a message of assurance, telling the biological Jews who have come to faith in Jesus that God will save the absolutely perfect communion of biological Jews from all over the world and out of every tribe – God will not miss anyone, and the tribe one comes from is of no advantage in salvation.
Then John sees something new in verses nine through twelve: “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” – the biological Jews that God will save are only one part of His people – His Kingdom – God will save people from every type of people – from every language and nation and heritage and upbringing and race – there will be representatives of every people in the Kingdom – and they – with the Jews who believe – will be a great multitude. So, don’t lose hope because you were not born a Jew – salivation is about Jesus – not biology.
And this great multitude is before the Lamb and the throne – and we understand that the Lamb is Jesus – “behold, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world” – and they were all dressed in white robes holding palm branches, worshiping the Lamb, crying out, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb ” And the angels and the elders and the four living creatures joined in falling on their faces and worshiping the Lamb saying, “Amen Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever Amen.” Because Jesus is not just the Lamb Who was slain, but He is the Almighty God Who rose from the dead. He is worthy of all praise forever and ever. And He will be worshiped by everyone – from every people – who believe in Him.
And then one of the elders turned to John and asked him a question: “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” John asks that the elder tell him and the elder tells him “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” What is John being told? John is being told that although God will not allow the end to come before all of the elect are sealed with the Holy Spirit and although God will save everyone He intends to save, both from the biological Jews and everyone else, many, many Christians will die for the sake of Jesus; God does not promise that Christians will be spared suffering and death for the sake of Christ. In fact, many, many will be put to death for confessing Jesus before He returns.
That was the hard pill that the Christians were swallowing while John was on Patmos: Nero was turned Christians into living garden torches. He was feeding them to wild animals. And doing all sorts of depraved things to them for confessing Christ. And some were questioning where God was and whether they themselves had truly believed, but John tells them, “Yes, be assured of your salvation. God grants salvation to whomever He will and seals them with the Holy Spirit and then they are His forever and will be brought into His Kingdom. However, many will be brought into the Kingdom by a violent death for the sake of Jesus.
The author of Hebrews writes, “Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated – of whom the world was not worthy – wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth” (Hebrews 11:35b-38, ESV).
Jesus does not promise that Christians will have it easy in this life. In fact, He promises that Christians will be persecuted because Jesus was persecuted. Still, every one that Jesus has chosen from all the peoples of the earth – out of the biological Jews and all the rest of the peoples – every one will be sealed, filled with the Holy Spirit, and received into Paradise with Jesus – the Lamb Who was slain. He will lose none, and the end will not come before each one is sealed. And we know that He will lose none because He gave Himself up – the Lamb allowed Himself to be slaughtered for everyone who would believe – so that each one of us is covered with His Blood and washed clean, so that Father sees in us the Sacrifice of the Lamb – His Beloved Son – and loves us and adopts us as His children.
And then the elders tell John in the rest of this chapter – and John tells the Christians – many of whom will be called to give their lives for the sake Jesus and His Gospel – that the Lamb would be the Shepherd of all those who are sealed with God the Holy Spirit and with all those who die in the faith. That sounds backwards, doesn’t it? The Lamb will be their Shepherd? Wouldn’t it make more sense to say that the Shepherd will shepherd the sheep?
Jesus is the Lamb of God Who was sacrificed for all those sheep He came to save. Jesus is the Shepherd Who lay down His Life for His sheep. Jesus, the Lamb of God, shepherds His sheep.
And here we have a picture of life in the Kingdom: the sheep are before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in the temple; and He Who sits on the throne shelters the sheep with His Presence. The sheep give thanks to God and to the Lamb, serving Him, and He shelters and protects His sheep for all of eternity.
John is told that in the Kingdom, the sheep – the Christians – will never hunger or thirst any more, and they won’t suffer in the harsh realities of the weather; He will keep them safe from wind and sun. There will be no more lack or distress In fact, the Lamb, as the Shepherd of His sheep – will guide everyone who believes in Him to springs of living water.
We may remember that Samaritan woman that Jesus met at the well, and He asked her for a drink. And she was shocked, because Jesus, a Jewish rabbi, was talking to a Samaritan – and not only that – a Samaritan woman. So, she asks Him why He is talking to her. And He tells her that she should ask Him for living water. And she tells Him that He doesn’t have a bucket. And Jesus says, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13b-15, ESV). By the end of the conversation, she professes faith in Jesus and received the living water.
Likewise, David wrote, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters (Psalm 23:1-2, ESV). Part of what Jesus does for us – and all Christians – is give us living water, lead us beside still water, guide us to springs of living water. Jesus satisfies our ultimate need by giving up Himself for us.
And when He receives His sheep into the kingdom, He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. The point of chapter seven is that Jesus ultimatly brings His people home. He tells them that they will suffer and many will die. There will be crying and hardship for any who confess faith in Jesus. And many will die before Jesus returns – some died from this congregation this year.
Yet, those who have died in the faith are in Paradise now. Jesus the Lamb is shepherding them now. They are at peace – filled with joy – longing for the fulfillment of the Kingdom and the bringing in of the 144,000 and the great multitude – and then the great restoration. That day is coming.
In the mean time, we look forward with hope and assurance that Jesus is returning. And as we receive the means of grace, such as the Lord’s Supper, which we will soon receive – Jesus communes with us spiritually – and with every believer throughout time and space. So, as we receive the bread and the cup, and each believer communes with Jesus, we, through Jesus, commune with every other believer throughout time and space, looking forward to the day when we all shall be before the Lamb and the throne.
The book of Revelation is meant to be a book of comfort for Christians who are suffering for the sake of Jesus and His Gospel. Be comforted and assured, then, that no matter what happens to us for Jesus’ Sake – He will lose none of us, and will bring us to Him. And be assured and comforted that all those who have died in the faith are now with Jesus – in His Presence, filled with joy, waiting for the rest of us.
Let us pray:
Almighty God and Savior, Lamb Who was Slain, Great Shepherd of the Sheep, we thank You for the assurance that all those who have died before us in the faith are in glory with You. And because You are the Great God and Only Savior, each one of us whom You have chosen for Yourself will be received into Paradise and the Kingdom. Give us strength to stand for You in hope. Be with us now – even as we receive the bread and the cup – and may the communion of the saints be ever more real to us as our faith grows in You. For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
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