REVELATION SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 7.15

Gleanings from the Book of Revelation:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

The

REVELATION TO JOHN

(The Apocalypse)

 

Chapter Seven

A Parenthetical Chapter:

Judgment Suspended

 

 

(Verse 15)

 

Therefore are they [stand] before the Throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

 

The word, therefore, relates to the multitude, cleansed and purified by the blood of the Lamb, who now stand and serve the Lord Jesus Christ day and night in God's Temple.

 

They [stand] before the Throne of God

1.  Standing in His Temple

a.  The word stand or standing is implied and used in some translations to refer back to the positions in which the multitudes (cf., Revelation 7:9, 11), symbolically represent Temple priests.

b.  Before; indicating they are face to face.

 

(They) serve Him day and night in His temple

2.  Serving Him (Greek, Hautou), i.e., since it is God's Throne, they are serving the One to Whom the Throne belongs.

a.   To serve (Greek, latreuō) is an honor to render service as a minister in worshipping God at His Throne.

                                        i.    In a priestly manner:

Those who are martyred believers will serve Him as priests and render their privileged service as worshippers in the immediate presence of God.

Romans 12:1b - …that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

 

Even though this verse applies to the present believer, in the heavenly arena, it will be applicable in a new capacity.

 

                                     ii.    In a continuous manner

Since there is no day and night in Heaven, the indication, day and night, is an idiomatic way to indicate a continuous duty or occupation in His Temple.

 

During the Millennial Kingdom, there will be a Temple where no sacrifices are made, yet only praising and worshiping the Lord God Almighty will be their required rendered service.

1. He is sitting

He that sitteth on the throne

He (Greek, ow-tos'), meaning the other one, points to Jesus Christ. During the Old Testament era, the Temple and Tabernacle priests were constantly busy standing and making animal sacrifices.

 

However, since Jesus Christ became the once-and-for-all sacrificial Lamb Who made the atonement for the sins of mankind, His work and the sacrificial system are over and complete, thus allowing Him to sit on the right hand of God in a seated position as a High Priest.

 

3.  Security: He is living among us

2.  Jesus is dwelling

He…shall dwell among them

The word dwell in Greek is skēnoō, taken from the root word skēnē, which means tent. Literally: "He that sittenth on the throne shall spread His tent over them." The same word is used when Jesus, in His physical body (a tent made of flesh), lived among us during His earthly ministry.

 

Also coming from the root word skēnē is skēnos meaning a tabernacle, skēnoō, to encamp or reside, and skēnōma, figuratively, God's Tabernacle or our body as the residence of the Holy Spirit. The entire concept is: God is dwelling among us.

There are several times in the Bible when God dwelt among men:

1.  In the Garden

a.  God spoke to Adam directly

Genesis 2:16 – The LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.

 

b.  God walked in the Garden

Genesis 3:8 - And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.

 

2.  During the wilderness and wandering experiences

Exodus 21:31 - And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.

 

3.  In the Tabernacle and Solomon's Temple

Exodus 25:8 - Let them make for Me a Sanctuary, so that I may live among them.

 

2 Chronicles 7:1b, 3 - And the glory of the LORD filled the Temple…And…all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the House, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD.

 

a.  In His flesh during the earthly ministry of Jesus

John 1:14 - And the Word (i.e., Christ) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

 

4.  In our bodies

1 Corinthians 3:16 - Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

 

5.  During the Millennium

Revelation 20:6 - Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

 

6.  In Eternity, He will be a permanent dwelling among us Revelation 21:3 - And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.

 

7.  Only those who remain faithful will gain entry into the presence of God and be in fellowship with Him. In giving The Beatitudes, Jesus promised:

Matthew 5:8 - Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

 

 

(Verse 16)

 

They shall hunger no more *, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

 

This was also prophesied in the Old Testament:

Isaiah 49:10 - They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.

 

So, as they stand before the Throne of God, the fulfillment of Isaiah is reiterated to the multitudes:

1. No longer will they experience hunger in their destitute struggle for daily bread

John 6:35a - And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger.

 

2. No longer will they experience thirst

John 6:35b - …and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.

 

John 14:14b - The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

 

3. No longer will the sun or heat be on them

a. The sun is a symbol of government

b. The heat is a symbol of persecution and suffering

1 Peter 1:7 - That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

 

*Footnote: Hunger etc., no more are double negatives in English. When one uses a double negative, it cancels itself, however, the expression when used in Greek makes this an imperative and presents a stronger idea that these things will never happen, insinuating they had hungered and thirsted.

As you read through the conditions during the Tribulation

1. The water had turned to blood

 

2. They had a lack of food since no one could buy and sell. Not having the mark of the beast, caused them to beg or steal

a. Sun and heat are symbols of persecution and suffering, soon to cease

Hence, all future indications of the Great Tribulation will never be repeated (similar to the flood experience in Genesis, God's promise not to destroy the earth again by water). The Lord as the Great Shepherd will sustain and provide complete protection, satisfaction, and shelter with every good thing:

Psalm 36:8 - They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house, and Thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

 

Psalm 65:4 - How happy is the one You choose and bring near to live in Your courts! We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, the holiness of Your Temple.

 

Revelation 21:4 - And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

 

 

(Verse 17)

 

For the Lamb which is amid the Throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

 

The Lamb

The Lamb is referencing the Lamb of God. The word Lamb in Greek is arnion or lambkin – A pet lamb. Man's fellowship with God will resume as once did in Eden during the pre-curse.

 

Jesus Christ, the Lamb will accomplish three things:

1. Feed them

The word feed is poimainō meaning to tend as in shepherding, taken from the root word poimēn – A shepherd. Nourishment for everyone's bodies emanates from the divine Shepherd Himself. Everyone will receive everlasting satisfaction.

 

2. Lead them

Lead, as in showing the way or guiding someone.

Fountains of living (from the verb to live) water (by way of raining water), life's water springs.

 

3. Wipe away all their tears

Wipe means to erase, blot out or obliterate. Thus they will weep no more. Every tear from their eyes will permanently be wiped away - Another beneficial blessing.

 

The curses originally placed upon man and woman (cf. Genesis 3:16-19) are lifted and life's toil, sufferings, trials, and tribulations are forever terminated.

 

The LORD is the one who is shepherding me; I lack nothing.

(Psalm 23:1, ISV)

Jeremiah once said:

Jeremiah 17:7-8 - Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For He shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

 

Closing Thoughts

Chapter 7 reveals that in the hour before His Second Coming, countless souls will accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and be saved by His redeeming grace.

 

The message for those separated from the raptured Church and who have been faithful unto death during the Great Tribulation will stand before the Throne and worship the true God continually. They will be resting from their labors and commended for their faithfulness. They will have harps of God, sing upon the sea of glass, and reign with Jesus Christ forever.

 

These are those who have pressed toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of Jesus Christ (cf. Philippians 3:14).

However, God's grace will not cease as long as time (in human terms) continues to exist - For God warns:

___ Flee from the wrath to come (cf. Matthew 3:7)

___ All who are heavy laden come to Christ and He will give thee rest (cf. Matthew 11:28)

 

The next study, Chapter 8, continues the Great Tribulation Period. The opening of the Seventh Seal will introduce the seven trumpet judgments. These judgments will continue from Chapters 8 through 11. Please read ahead.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1.   In what capacity do the multitudes serve God?

2.   Explain how God dwells among us.

3.   What do the sun and heat represent?

4.   How does Jesus act as a Shepherd?

5.   How does Jesus act as a High Priest?

6.   How does the Lamb operate in the future?

7.   How does God extend His grace throughout the Tribulation?

 

 

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