Revelation Day 20 - Saved Through Suffering
DAY 20
Saved By Suffering
Revelation 7:9-17
We’ve been looking at clues about how God rescues us from suffering. Yesterday we looked at two clues: God’s wrath against evil and our inability to stand up on our own when judged by God.
The third clue that we are saved through suffering is Rev 7. Rev 6 and 7 are totally different in tone. Rev 6 is despair. Rev 7 is celebration. All these people, this great multitude passed through the fire of judgment and survived.
Why? Were they extraordinarily good?
No, they give all the credit to God and to the Lamb.
How did they stand?
V. 14, "They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." The blood of the Lamb, the death of Jesus. The cross of Christ, his suffering and death, protects them. He voluntarily let God's wrath against evil be exhausted on him. John doesn't spell out why and how this all works. He just assumes the believers he's writing to know this. They know what Paul told the Corinthians, that “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21, NIV).
Christ suffers to end suffering. That's why we are saved through suffering. Not by ours, but by his. Salvation runs through suffering not from it. We can’t end suffering by avoiding it. Whatever God’s reasons for allowing suffering, it can’t be because he doesn’t love us. He gets in there and suffers with us through Christ. He comes out the other side to bring us through with him. Salvation runs through suffering not from it.
So who can stand? You can, if you trust the lamb. Don’t be afraid. Hold on tight to the Lamb.
Paul the Apostle says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us…[Nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35, 37-39 NIV)
Who can stand? You can! You can stand…if you stand with him.
REFLECT
Take a few moments to reflect on that statement from Romans 8 (above).
PRAY
Lord Jesus, nothing can separate me from your love. Nothing! Thank you! Amen.
Saved By Suffering
Revelation 7:9-17
We’ve been looking at clues about how God rescues us from suffering. Yesterday we looked at two clues: God’s wrath against evil and our inability to stand up on our own when judged by God.
The third clue that we are saved through suffering is Rev 7. Rev 6 and 7 are totally different in tone. Rev 6 is despair. Rev 7 is celebration. All these people, this great multitude passed through the fire of judgment and survived.
Why? Were they extraordinarily good?
No, they give all the credit to God and to the Lamb.
How did they stand?
V. 14, "They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." The blood of the Lamb, the death of Jesus. The cross of Christ, his suffering and death, protects them. He voluntarily let God's wrath against evil be exhausted on him. John doesn't spell out why and how this all works. He just assumes the believers he's writing to know this. They know what Paul told the Corinthians, that “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21, NIV).
Christ suffers to end suffering. That's why we are saved through suffering. Not by ours, but by his. Salvation runs through suffering not from it. We can’t end suffering by avoiding it. Whatever God’s reasons for allowing suffering, it can’t be because he doesn’t love us. He gets in there and suffers with us through Christ. He comes out the other side to bring us through with him. Salvation runs through suffering not from it.
So who can stand? You can, if you trust the lamb. Don’t be afraid. Hold on tight to the Lamb.
Paul the Apostle says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us…[Nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35, 37-39 NIV)
Who can stand? You can! You can stand…if you stand with him.
REFLECT
Take a few moments to reflect on that statement from Romans 8 (above).
PRAY
Lord Jesus, nothing can separate me from your love. Nothing! Thank you! Amen.
Posted in summer 2023
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