Revelation 7:9–14
[9] After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, [10] and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” [11] And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, [12] saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” [13] Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” [14] I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (ESV)
In this passage from the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, we get a beautiful picture of the end of all things. God gives a depiction of the church, the complete, diverse and voluminous church, standing before the throne of Christ and singing. Clothed in robes of white that have been washed clean by the blood of Christ himself (v 14), they are waving palm branches and worshiping the victorious King Jesus. It’s a direct consumation of the Palm Sunday event where the people of Jerusalem hailed the arrival of Jesus as a conquoring king who would give them salvation from their Roman oppressors. However, Jesus wasn’t entering Jerusalem to overthrow Rome, he had something much bigger and better in mind. A true salvation for his people all over the world (not just in Israel) and all over the timeline of history (not just the 1st century). A defeat of the true enemies of Sin and Death. A defeat that is being celebrated in Revelation 7.
Throughout the Bible, we can find stories of salvation events. The Flood, the Exodus from Egypt, the return to the Promised Land from exile in Babylon. Often these salvation events compel God’s people into song. As they gather together and celebrate the deliverance that has been given to them freely with little to no effort on their part, they recognize the only worthy response is praise and worship to their deliverer - God. And so it is in Revelation 7. The delivered people of God gather before the throne of the slain and risen Christ … and sing!
And that’s where this song TASTE OF ETERNITY by Bellarive comes in. Here are the lyrics:
Father we come So aware
Of all that You've done
Of all that You are
Nothing above
No none compare
So Father we come here
The taste of eternity is
Here on our lips
With every breath we sing
With every breath we sing of Your majesty
It's here in our midst
With every breath we sing
All else will fade
As You draw near
All that we want
Is all that You are
Nothing above
No none compare
So Father we come here
Oh, how Holy
Oh, how worthy
For every breath we sing is Yours
Every breath we sing is Yours
When we sing this song at Hiawatha Church, we’re embodying the spirit of the risen church in Revelation. We’re echoing the songs of the delivered people of God in the Old Testament. We’re proclaiming that we’ve been delivered from a certain and eternal death because of our sin. God has won that deliverance for us at great cost to himself. Through the cross, He’s made it possible for us to gather together and turn our faces towards his throne and sing about his holiness and worth. Yes indeed, every breath we use to sing is itself a gift, a byproduct of the fact that we’ve been granted life by a loving Father God. Singing together as a church family is a tangible taste of the eternal life that awaits us in the new heavens and new earth!
But we’re not there yet. And in fact, we’ve been deprived of meeting and singing together for this last month due to a pandemic of the COVID-19 illness. It’s a difficult thing to be separated from our church family and the taste of eternity that comes from singing together, shouting praise in a large room full of music (something an internet live stream can’t quite replace). Yes, for most if not all of us, this separation hurts. And that’s a good thing.
As you experience this difficult time, let it remind you that separation from God is painful. But for those who are in Christ, these “interposing days” will come to an end. The deliverer who rode into Jerusalem to die for his people will return and bring all his people together forever. And until that great day, we are no less secure in Christ because the battle itself has already been won, at the cross and at the empty grave. Our deliverer has already triumphed and is already sitting upon his throne above all things!
Psalm 46 says:
Psalm 46:1–7
[1] God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
[2] Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
[3] though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
[4] There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
[5] God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
[6] The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
[7] The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. (ESV)
What a great word of encouragement for the separated and distressed church to hear as we look forward, longingly, to the day when we will be fully delivered and reunited! God is in the midst of the Church in that time of distress and affliction! He is with us! All of us, no matter where we are. The church of Christ is secure.
Matthew Henry’s 1710 commentary on this passage gives additional fire to these words:
The church shall survive the world, and be in bliss when that is in ruins. It is built upon a rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Not disturbed, not much moved, with fears of the issue. If God be for us, if God be with us, we need not be moved at the most violent attempts made against us. Deliverance to the church, though her dangers be very great: God shall help her; and who then can hurt her? He shall help her under her troubles, that she shall not sink; that the more she is afflicted the more she shall multiply. God shall help her out of her troubles, and that right early - when the morning appears; that is, very speedily, for He is a present help, and very seasonably, when things are brought to the last extremity and when the relief will be most welcome. This may be applied by particular believers to themselves; if God be in our hearts, in the midst of us, by His Word dwelling richly in us, we shall be established, we shall be helped; let us therefore trust and not be afraid; all is well, and will end well.
(emphasis mine)
The song Taste of Eternity takes hold of that last bit of truth - “all is well and will end well”. God gives us a promise in Revelation 7 - that those who have been washed by the blood of Jesus have a beautiful and eternal life ahead as the delivered church of God in praise. As we navigate these in-between and uncertain times, let us cling to that hope and sing “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb who was slain!” “Oh how holy, oh how worthy!” And let us rest in the fact that, whether in this life or in the life to come, we - Hiawatha Church - will sing these words together again. We will taste eternity together and one day drink in the fullness of eternity together as well. Thanks be to God who saves His church!
PETER CARLSON / WORSHIP LEADER
—
