Sermon Tone Analysis

Textual Idea – In the midst of the torrent of the wrath of the Lamb, God revealed 3 visions to John of the grace of God leading from tribulation to jubilation.

Transition with key word – Our text reveals three visions of the grace of God in the midst of tribulation which leads to jubilation.

Introduction – Once in NH while living there and planting a church, our family took a day off to go hiking.

We had found a book in a local bookstore laying out the many scenic hiking trails in the area.

(Slide) (Prayer card picture to show the ages of the kids?)

We picked out a trail near Franconia Notch that was off the beaten path that led to a scenic vista of a waterfall.

With 5 kids, we were loaded down with water for everybody and snacks, camera and backpack.

It was a beautiful and warm July day in NH so of we went charging up this trail wearing our shorts and t-shirts.

About half way up this roughly 2.5 mile hike, a sudden summer thunderstorm blew in and we were caught in it.

It probably wouldn’t have been so bad if it were just rain, we’d been wet before.

We were concerned for our digital camera in the backpack.

But what made this particular storm so bad was that it was part of cold front blowing through the area and the temperature dropped dramatically 20 or 30 degrees in less than 30 minutes.

So we were drenched to the bone and freezing cold.

Our children were not doing well and Cheryl and I weren’t doing well either, worrying about what to do as we sought ought a place to get out of this storm as we trudged onward.

Thankfully, we found a 3 sided hikers hut that got us out of the rain and gave us some shelter from the cold wind.

I’ll never forget huddling together to try and keep warm there and when there was a little break in the rain, we made the decision to try and get down the mountain back to our car as soon as we could.

Rough trip with lots of tears.

Boy that heater in our car was a blessing!

I marveled that day how we got to that shelter when we needed it most by the grace of God.

(Slide) Background – As we come to chapter 7 in our study of Revelation, last time we were hit with the sobering reality of the wrath of the Lamb of God.

In chapter 6, we saw the infamous 4 horsemen of the apocalypse as the great tribulation begins.

The Lamb of God, Jesus Christ Himself, breaks open the 7 sealed scroll unleashing a torrent of the wrath of God upon a wicked world.

The antichrist rises to power, bloodshed from war and murder is rampant.

Vs. 12-14 show cataclysmic disaster takes place with the sun turning black as sackcloth, the moon is blood red, stars falling from the heavens, and earthquakes move every mountain and island from their places.

Yet the shocking response from the vast majority of the surviving population of the earth does not repent, but instead cries out to the very rocks to kill them, rather than crying out to their Creator in repentance.

Chapter 6 overwhelms the reader and the question of 6:17 rings in our ears “For the great day of His wrath has come and who is able to stand?”

Chapter 7 is a parenthesis as 6 seals are opened before the 7th seal is opened in chapter 8 that unleashes more judgment.

Chapter 7 lets the Apostle John the writer catch his breath and the readers of this prophecy as well.

It is much like that shelter we found in the midst of that storm.

Revelation 7 is a shelter that highlights the grace of God.

Transition with key word – Our text reveals three visions of the grace of God in the midst of tribulation which leads to jubilation.

I.

Those saved & sealed by God’s grace – vs. 1-10

Explanation – The question of who can stand from 6:17 is answered by chapter 7. The implied answer is those who are sealed and saved by God’s grace.

The “four corners of the earth represent the 4 points on a compass (NESW).

Before the judgments of chapter 8 is unleashed, a command is given to the angels responsible for carrying out God’s will, to wait till other angels have sealed the servants of God on their foreheads.

(Slide) God wanted to put a sign on some people He graciously chose to save.

This seal of God or sign of God’s protection before judgment falls reminds me of the sign of the blood on the doorposts of captive Israel in Egypt, the night the Passover was implemented before the death angel killed the firstborn in every house.

Yet God promised them “When I see the blood, I will pass over you (Ex.12:13).”

This is the same idea that God can identify those who are His and protect them from the torrent that is coming.

What is the seal?

(Vs.

slide) Chapter 14:1 and 22:4 both tell us what it is – “His Father’s name is written on their foreheads.”

So the logical question is "Who gets the seal?” (Slide) Vs.4-8 tell us there are 12,000 Jews from the 12 tribes of Israel who are sealed by the grace of God.

Lots of speculation & silly interpretation of the identity of these people.

(Slide) Some allegorize this to be the church but that can’t be as the church has been raptured at the end of chapter 3 and we see the church in glory in chapter 4-5.

(Slide) Some cults like the Jehovah’s Witness’s claim they are this 144,000 and the Seventh Day Adventists claim they are the 144,000.

They’re all wrong – the Scripture means what the Scripture says.

This is a collection of Jews God says are His servants who will be sealed and saved out of the tribulation,12,000 from 12 tribes.

Note – Dan is missing – apparently because of their idolatry.

Ephraim apparently is missing for the same reason.

Joseph’s son Manasseh is listed.

These “servant’s of God” are sealed to be God’s messengers to during the tribulation.

Jesus said in Matt.

24:14 “This Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations and then the end will come.”

(Slide bullets) It is apparent by the second vision John sees in vs. 9-10 that these Jewish evangelists who were sealed and served God win many people to Christ from all nations.

Vs. 14 makes it is clear that there are people saved in the tribulation as people from every tribe, tongue and nation are there.

Deal w/ Question asked me previously – “Is the Holy Spirit gone out of the world because He has been removed in the rapture when the Christians leave?”

The Holy Spirit is Omnipresent – He is will still be in the world actively working but will not restrain the evil of Satan and the antichrist.

(Slide bullet) He will be drawing people to faith who’ve not had access to the Gospel before.

How do I know that?

Scripture tells us!

Turn w/ me to 2nd Thess.

2:1-12.

It is vitally important you see this from God’s Word because this clarifies what the Holy Spirit is doing in the tribulation and who can be saved!

This is a great example of how Scripture provides the best commentary on itself!

(Slide) The people saved in the great tribulation will be drawn to faith in Christ by the Holy Spirit, but only those who’ve not rejected the truth previously.

Notice the second vision from tribulation to jubilation:

II.

The songs of God’s grace – vs.11-12

Explanation – Once again we see a glimpse through John’s eyes of the worship in Heaven – (Slide bullets)

It’s animated w/ palm branches being waved (vs.

9)

It’s loud vs. 10 – “Salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb.”

Vs. 12 – As we saw in chapter 4-5, John records types of songs of God’s grace.

Interesting of the 7 fold types of songs of the grace of God listed here:

1) Songs of blessing to God and to the Lamb who sealed and saved these people out of the great tribulation.

One of my favorite Psalms is Ps.

103 begins & ends w/ “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me bless His Holy Name…Forget not all His benefits!

2) Songs of glory to God and to the Lamb – maybe “To God be the glory great things He has done”!

3) Songs extolling God’s wisdom no doubt in His plan of redemption.

How about the 3rd vs of “This is my Father’s World” - O let me ne’er forget, that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet.

This is my Father’s world, the battle is not done; Jesus who died shall be satisfied, and earth and heav’n be one.”

4) Songs of Thanksgiving!

– Maybe it was “Thank you Lord for saving my soul” – Maybe it was “Rock of Ages cleft for me” or “Jesus is a rock in a weary land, a shelter in the time of storm.”

These folks are thankful God has rescued them from His wrath and redeemed them.

5) Songs of honor – Crown Him with many crowns the Lamb upon His throne!

6) Songs of God’s power – boy they’ve seen that recently!

All hail the power of Jesus Name, let angels prostrate fall!

7) Songs of God’s might – “Author of salvation, my God is mighty to save He is mighty to save!”

“Be to our God forever and ever Amen!” – Oh the songs of God’s grace that is still amazing will be sung for all eternity.

I want us to notice the third vision of God’s grace leading from tribulation to jubilation.

That is:

III.

The security of God’s grace – vs. 13-17

Explanation – One of the elders asked John to identify who these are arrayed in white robes and where did they come from.

Now if this is the church as some mistakenly suggest that is raptured mid-tribulation and a collection of the saints from history would not John have recognized many of them?

His fellow apostles who had been killed before he was exiled on Patmos?

Surely John would have recognized his friend Peter, his brother James.

Surely he’d recognize his mother.

But John says “Sir you know.”

That’s a polite way of saying I don’t know these folks or where they came from.