Revelation 7:13-17

Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”  And I said to him, “Sir, you know.”  So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.  They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

• These are the saints who made it through the great tribulation.  They were a countless multitude from all over the world – all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues.

Revelation 7:9 – After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands

• While the blessings here are said to be for the tribulation saints, it gives us a picture of what heaven will be like.  Look what God has prepared for His children.

• We will serve Him day and night and He will dwell among us.  ‘Emmanuel” – God with us – in person – where we can behold Him forever and forever.  What an amazing thought! 

• No more hunger or thirst.  The book of Revelation tells us we will be able to eat of the Tree of Life and drink from the River of Life.

• The sun will not need to shine for He will be the light.  We saw this in the creation.  The first day of creation God made light, but He did not create the sun, moon and stars until the fourth day.  God is the light.

• No heat – we will not need a weather man.  The weather will be perfect. 

• He will shepherd us – lead us, watch over us, protect us.

• He will wipe away every tear.  There will be nothing to cause sorrow again.  Not separation, no death, no pain.

Psalm 23:1 – The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

• These saints had washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.  This tells us that the only way to receive these great blessings of God and spend eternity with Him in heaven is to repent and have our sins cleansed by acceptance of the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross. 

Acts 2:21 – And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

• It is not only the saints who come through the tribulation that need to be on guard.  Satan continues to try to destroy God’s people who surrender their lives to Him. 

Revelation 12:17 – And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

• God sends an invitation to all of us.  We can be a part of that throne around God’s throne, but we must accept the invitation.

Revelation 3:20 – Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.