Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Revelation 7 reveals that Jesus keeps His promises to the nation of Israel (verses 1-8) and to all nations (verses 9-12). We find in verses 13-17 that, as hard as it is to understand, He also keeps His promises to the martyrs. We previously touched upon Revelation 6:9-11, which deals with those who were slain for their faith down through the centuries right up to the time of the Tribulation. This passage in chapter 7, though, refers specifically to those who are killed during the Tribulation period of just under seven years: “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (verse 14). To become a Christian during the Tribulation is essentially to sign one’s own death warrant (compare Revelation 13:15-17). Why will people dare to trust in Jesus Christ given these circumstances and consequences? The answer is that He keeps His promises. He will deliver these martyrs from eternal condemnation and bring them into His very presence: “Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He [Who] sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them” (verse 15). Furthermore, He will ensure that “they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more: neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat” (verse 16). Moreover, He will vanish even the possibility of “their tears” and will “feed them” (verse 17). The New International Version translates “feed them” as “be their Shepherd.” Yes, “the Lamb [Who] is in the midst of the throne” will “be their Shepherd”! Only Jesus can be both Lamb and Shepherd, and only Jesus can save people even during the time of His righteous judgment on earth.