Resting in the Hope of My Redemption
Evening Scripture
Revelation, Chapter 7
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:
“Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”
Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes — who are they, and where did they come from?” I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have 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 shelter them with his presence. ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Evening Reflection
Spoiler alert. We know the end of the story.
My wife likes lighthearted books to read, nothing too serious or sad. When I suggest a book to read, she asks me, “Does anyone die at the end?” It might tell you the kind of books I like.
A bad ending can ruin a book or movie. The ending of Stephen King’s It is famous for the dumb ending, how a thousand pages or more led to … that? The final seasons of Game of Thrones and Stranger Things greatly disappointed fans. Predictable mysteries make us groan with almost physical pain.
In a story, it’s important to get the ending right. Great endings make us want to rewatch or reread the movie or book.
God’s telling a story, through us to eternal beings, showing his glory and wisdom through redeeming a people (Ephesians 3:10). The Bible reveals the arc from Genesis and tells us the end of the story. But it’s not a spoiler. We need to know or else we would give up. We would fall into despair in such a dark and evil world.
Revelation 7 reveals what we wait for. What we’ve been saved for. The secure hope we have in a God who has prepared a Kingdom of light, love, healing, fullness, and joy. One that will never end. This hope gives us peace and an anchor in the midst of troubles and chaos. A hope that will not disappoint. May we rest today in our future hope.
Evening Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for revealing the end of the story. When darkness and suffering surround me, anchor my heart in the hope you have promised us. Help me remember your Kingdom of light, healing, joy, and peace is coming to earth, I will be a part of it, and it will never end.
Strengthen my faith when I get weary due to present troubles. Keep my eyes on you and your covenant. Fill me with confidence that your plans will succeed and your redemption will reveal and celebrate your glory forever. Give me the eternal perspective to have courage, peace, and perseverance today.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
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