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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 34

TITLE: THE LAMB WHO IS THE SHEPHERD

TEXT: REVELATION 7:13-17

INTRODUCTION: (1) PICTURE WITH ME TODAY, A LAMB BEING A SHEPHERD.

* NOW THAT’S A STRANGE PICTURE, A STRIKING PICTURE, FOR HOW CAN A LAMB BE A SHEPHERD?

** LAMB’S ARE LITTLE SHEEP, YOUNG SHEEP, THE WEAKEST MEMBERS OF THE FLOCK.

*** THEY ARE GENTLE AND INNOCENT AND VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO WOLVES.

**** SO HOW COULD A LAMB LEAD A FLOCK AND BE A SHEPHERD?

(2) WELL, IN THE PHYSICAL REALM, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THAT COMBINATION WOULD BE AN IMPOSSIBILITY.

* YET, AS WE COME TO OUR TEXT TODAY, WE SEE THAT PICTURE, THAT COMBINATION AS A STARK REALITY.

** AND WE SEE IT FULFILLED IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST WHO IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS THE LION AND THE LAMB, BUT ALSO IN V. 17 OF CHAPTER 7 IS THE LAMB AND THE SHEPHERD.

*** NOW HOW CAN THAT BE? HOW IS THIS STRANGE PICTURE AND YET A WONDERFUL PICTURE POSSIBLE?

**** WELL, WE MUST DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN CHRIST’S ROLE AS ONE WHO DIED, YET AS ONE WHO LIVES.

(3) FOR IN HIS DEATH, JESUS WAS THE LAMB OF GOD WHO CAME TO TAKE AWAY THE SIN OF HIS PEOPLE, THE WORLD, READ JOHN 1:29.

* THEN IN I PETER 1:18&19, JESUS IS THE ONE WHO IS PRESENTED AS REDEEMING HIS PEOPLE BY SHEDDING HIS BLOOD AS THE SPOTLESS SINLESS LAMB OF GOD, READ I PETER 1:18&19.

** NOW AS WE COME TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION, WE SEE CHRIST AS THE LAMB WHO WAS SLAIN.

*** FOR IN REVELATION 5:6 IT SAYS: “AND I SAW BETWEEN THE THRONE (WITH THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES) AND THE ELDERS A LAMB STANDING, AS IF SLAIN, HAVING SEVEN HORNS AND SEVEN EYES, WHICH ARE THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD, SENT OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH.”

*** AND A FEW VERSES LATER IN REVELATION 5:12 IT SAYS: “WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN” WHICH IS SPEAKING OF CHRIST.

**** AND THEN IN OUR TEXT TODAY, THE ENGLISH WORD LAMB IS USED TWICE. IN THE FIRST REFERENCE IT TALKS ABOUT THE TRIBULATION SAINTS WHO “HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES AND MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.”

(4) AND THE IMPLICATION OF BLOOD LEADS US TO THE CONCEPT OF DEATH AND SACRIFICE. FOR LAMBS IN THE O.T. WERE KILLED, THEIR BLOOD WAS SHED TO PICTURE THE FUTURE FINAL SPOTLESS LAMB THAT WOULD COME IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST.

* AND THEN IN V. 17 OF REVELATION 7, IT SAYS: “FOR THE LAMB, IN THE CENTER OF THE THRONE WILL BE THEIR SHEPHERD.”

** AND SO THE LAMB IS ALSO THE SHEPHERD WHO TENDS, LEADS, FEEDS AND PROTECTS HIS SHEEP.

*** AND OF COURSE IN THE N.T. JESUS PRESENTED HIMSELF AS THE GOOD SHEPHERD WHO DID WHAT IN JOHN 10:11? (READ IT).

**** AND HERE HE IS A SHEPHERD WHO DIES FOR HIS SHEEP.

(5) AND THEN IN HEBREWS 13:20, JESUS IS PRESENTED AS THE GREAT SHEPHERD. IT SAYS: “NOW THE GOD OF PEACE, WHO BROUGHT UP FROM THE DEAD THE GREAT SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE ETERNAL COVENANT, EVEN JESUS OUR LORD.”

* SO JESUS IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD WHO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP IN JOHN 10:11, THE GREAT SHEPHERD WHO WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD FOR HIS SHEEP IN HEBREWS 13:20.

** AND THE CHIEF SHEPHERD, THE HEAD OF HIS CHURCH, THE ONE OVER ALL THE UNDERSHEPHERDS, PASTORS, WHO FEED AND LEAD AND PROTECT HIS SHEEP IN HIS CHURCH, READ I PETER 5:4.

*** SO CHRIST IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD, THE GREAT SHEPHERD AND THE CHIEF SHEPHERD, BUT HE IS ALSO THE LAMB.

**** WHAT AN INTRIGUING PICTURE AND ANALOGY. JESUS CHRIST IS THE ALL IN ALL, THE LION, THE LAMB, THE SHEPHERD, THE DOOR INTO THE FOLD, THE TRUE VINE, THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE, THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE, THE SAVIOR, AND THE SOVEREIGN LORD OF HIS CHURCH.

(6) AND SPECIFICALLY IN OUR STUDY TODAY, HE IS PRESENTED AS THE LAMB AND THE SHEPHERD.

* WHICH IS THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE TODAY, “THE LAMB WHO IS THE SHEPHERD.”

** HE’S THE LAMB WHO SAVED, WHO SHED HIS BLOOD TO GIVE WHITE ROBES TO PEOPLE THAT WILL BE SAVED IN THE TRIBULATION.

*** HE’S THE LAMB WHO IS IN THE CENTER OF THE THRONE AND HE IS THE SHEPHERD WHO WILL GUIDE HIS SHEEP TO THE SPRINGS OF THE WATER OF LIFE.

**** JESUS CHRIST IS THE LAMB WHO IS A SHEPHERD.

(7) AND UNDER THAT THEME AND TITLE, WE’LL LOOK AT 3 MAIN POINTS IN OUR STUDY TODAY.

* NO. 1 THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SAVED OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION, VV. 13&14; NO. 2 THE POSITION OF THIS PEOPLE BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD, V. 15A; AND NO. 3 THE PROVISION BY THE ONE ON THE THRONE AND OF THE LAMB FOR THESE PEOPLE, VV. 15B-17.

** SO WE’LL LOOK AT THE PEOPLE, THE POSITION AND THE PROVISION TODAY AS WE WORK THROUGH REVELATION 7:13-17.

*** AND WITH THOSE HANDLES IN MIND, LOOK AT V. 13 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE PEOPLE.

I. THE PEOPLE, (READ V. 13)

A. NOW IN V. 13, ONE OF THE 24 ELDERS ASKS JOHN A QUESTIONS.

* AND HE IS NOT ASKING THIS QUESTION BECAUSE HE DID NOT KNOW THE ANSWER, FOR WE WILL SEE IN V. 14, THAT IT WILL BE THIS ELDER THAT WILL ACTUALLY GIVE JOHN THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.

** SO WHY DOES THE ELDER ASK THE QUESTION ABOUT THE ONES IN WHITE ROBES BEFORE THE THRONE? ABOUT WHO ARE THEY AND WHERE HAVE THEY COME FROM?

*** WELL, IT APPEARS THAT IT IS RHETORICAL INTENDED AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN IMPORTANT TIME OF INSTRUCTION.

**** IT APPEARS TO BE A DIALOGUE QUESTION TO ENGAGE JOHN, TO REVEAL TRUTH TO HIM ABOUT THESE PEOPLE IN WHITE ROBES.

1. AND IN ESSENCE, THE APPEARANCE OF THIS GREAT MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE IN WHITE ROBES HERE IN JOHN’S 4TH VISION IN THIS BOOK, GENERATES IN JOHN THE QUESTION, “WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE AND WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?”

* FOR NOTICE AT THE BEGINNING OF V. 13 IN MOST OF THE TRANSLATIONS WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF THE ESV AND THE NIV, THAT THIS ELDER “ANSWERED” SAYING TO ME.

** NOW WHAT IS THIS ELDER ANSWERING? WELL, A QUESTION HE KNEW THAT JOHN HAD.

*** SO THE OBVIOUS PUZZLEMENT OF JOHN CAUSES THE ELDER TO PUT INTO WORDS THE UNSPOKEN QUESTIONS OF JOHN.

**** AND SOME OF YOU HAVE DONE THAT WITH PEOPLE YOU ARE TALKING TO, WHEN THEY SEE SOMETHING AND THEY HAVE A BIG PUZZLED LOOK ON THEIR FACE, AND YOU ASK THEM A QUESTION THAT YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER TO, TO ENGAGE THEM AND ANSWER THEIR QUESTION.

2. WELL, THIS IS MOST LIKELY WHAT WE HAVE HERE.

* AND BEYOND THAT, THE ELDER’S QUESTION SPECIFIES AND EMPHASIZES THE TRUTH THAT ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE WILL BE SAVED DURING THE TRIBULATION, AND SPECIFICALLY HERE, THE POINT OF TIME CALLED THE GREAT TRIBULATION, THE LAST 3 ½ YEARS OF THIS 7 YEAR TIME WHEN GOD POURS OUT HIS WRATH OR PLANET EARTH AS NEVER BEFORE.

** OUR GOD IS SAVIOR GOD AS WE STUDIED ABOUT LAST WEEK AND WE MUST NOT ONLY PRESENT HIM AS SOVEREIGN GOD, BUT ALSO AS SAVIOR GOD, WHO WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.

*** AND THIS GREAT SAVIOR GOD WHO MOVES WITH SOVEREIGN GRACE TO SAVE PEOPLE WILL SAVE A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE IN THIS HOUR OF TRIAL THAT COMES UPON THE EARTH.

**** AND SPECIFICALLY IN V. 14 THESE PEOPLE ARE IDENTIFIED. LOOK AT V. 14 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 14. NOW IN V. 14, JOHN RESPONDS TO THIS ELDER WITH GREAT RESPECT AND SAYS: “MY LORD YOU KNOW” THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, I DON’T KNOW.

* AND ALL OF THE MAJOR GOOD TRANSLATIONS TRANSLATE THIS GREEK WORD KURIOS, SIR, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE NAS.

** AND THEY DO THIS, FOR JOHN IS SHOWING GREAT RESPECT, NOT ASCRIBING DEITY TO THIS ELDER IN THIS CONTEXT. JOHN IS NOT WORSHIPPING THIS ELDER BY HIS USE OF KURIOS, BUT USING IT IN IT’S MEANING OF RESPECT, NOT DEITY.

*** AND THE KJV, NKJV, AND NIV TRANSLATORS SAW THIS AND TRANSLATED THIS WORD THIS WAY.

**** NOW GOING BACK TO V. 14, AS JOHN SHOWS THIS KIND OF RESPECT FOR THIS ELDER, HE ACKNOWLEDGES BY HIS LACK OF AN ANSWER AND SAYING SIR, YOU KNOW, THAT HE (JOHN) DOESN’T KNOW.

1. SO THE ELDER PROCEEDS TO TELL JOHN THE ANSWER. AND HE ANSWERED THE WHERE PART OF THE QUESTION FIRST.

* THESE PEOPLE HAVE COME (EK) OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

** AND THE DEFINITE ARTICLE “THE” HERE WITH THE WORD “GREAT” ALLOWS NO OTHER CONCLUSION THAN THAT THIS IS THE PARTICULAR PERIOD OF TIME OF WHICH CHRIST SPOKE OF IN MATTHEW 24:21,

*** WHERE HE SAID: “FOR THEN THERE WILL BE A GREAT TRIBULATION, SUCH AS HAS NOT OCCURRED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD UNTIL NOW, NOR EVER WILL.”

**** NOW I MAKE REFERENCE TO MATTHEW 24:21 AND THE WORDS USED HERE IN V. 14 TO HIGHLIGHT THE TRUTH THAT THE GROUP DESCRIBED HERE IS A PARTICULAR GROUP COMING FROM A PARTICULAR TIME.

2. WE HAVE A SPECIFIC PERIOD IN VIEW HERE.

* AND I EMPHASIZE THAT FOR THE PHRASE “THE GREAT TRIBULATION” CANNOT DESCRIBE TIMES OF TRIBULATION FOR CHRISTIANS IN GENERAL INCLUDING THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM IN 70 AD OR ANY OTHER HISTORICAL EVENT.

** JOHN MACARTHUR SAID THIS IN HIS COMMENTARY IN REVELATION 1-11 AND I QUOTE:

*** “THE TERM GREAT TRIBULATION REFERS TO A SPECIFIC TIME IN THE FUTURE THAT IS UNIQUE IN ALL OF HUMAN HISTORY. IT REFERS TO THE FUTURE ESCHATOLOGICAL DAY OF DIVINE JUDGMENT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE JESUS CHRIST RETURNS TO ESTABLISH HIS EARTHLY KINGDOM. ALL THE JUDGMENTS DESCRIBED DURING THIS TIME, FROM THE SIXTH SEAL THROUGH THE TRUMPET AND BOWL JUDGMENTS, HAVE NO PARALLEL IN HUMAN HISTORY. NEVER HAS SUCH WORLD-WIDE DEVASTATION HAPPENED.”

**** JOHN WENT ON TO SAY: “THIS TERM (IN REFERENCE TO THE GREAT TRIBULATION) MUST DESCRIBE A FUTURE TIME OF DIVINE PUNISHMENT ON THE WHOLE FALLEN WORLD; THE GREAT DAY OF THE WRATH OF GOD AND THE LAMB (6:17).” (END QUOTE)

3. SO AGAIN THIS GROUP OF REDEEMED PEOPLE COME FROM A PARTICULAR PERIOD OF TIME, THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

* BUT ALSO NOTICE AFTER THIS ELDER COMMUNICATES THE “WHERE” PART OF HIS ANSWER, HE COMMUNICATES THE “WHO” PART OF HIS ANSWER.

** THESE ARE REDEEMED HUMANS WHO HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES AND MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.

*** AND THAT ANYTHING COULD BE CLEANSED BY WASHING IT IN BLOOD SEEMS RATHER STRANGE.

**** FOR HOW COULD WASHING CLOTHES IN BLOOD MAKE THEM WHITE? IT WOULD TAKE A SUPER LAUNDRY DETERGENT TO DO THAT.

4. WELL, THIS IS A SUPERNATURAL WASHING. FOR SOILED DIRTY GARMENTS OR CLOTHES IN SCRIPTURE SHOWS THE DEFILEMENT OF SIN, READ ISAIAH 64:6.

* AND ZECHARIAH 3:3 – 5 GIVE US A PICTURE OF THIS:

V. 3 - NOW JOSHUA WAS CLOTHED WITH FILTHY GARMENTS AND STANDING BEFORE THE ANGEL.

V. 4 – HE SPOKE AND SAID TO THOSE WHO WERE STANDING BEFORE HIM, SAYING, “REMOVE THE FILTHY GARMENTS FROM HIM.” AGAIN HE SAID TO HIM, “SEE, I HAVE TAKEN YOUR INIQUITY AWAY FROM YOU AND WILL CLOTHE YOU WITH FESTAL ROBES.”

V. 5 – THEN I SAID, “LET THEM PUT A CLEAN TURBAN ON HIS HEAD.” SO THEY PUT A CLEAN TURBAN ON HIS HEAD AND CLOTHED HIM WITH GARMENTS, WHILE THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WAS STANDING BY.

** NOW AS SOILED DIRTY CLOTHES PICTURE THE DEFILEMENT OF SIN, IN CONTRAST, SALVATION IS OFTEN PICTURED AS WASHING, READ PSALM 51:7, ISAIAH 1:18 AND TITUS 3:5.

*** NOW WITH WASHING AND CLEANSING IN MIND, THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS THE CLEANSING AGENT TO CLEANSE PEOPLE FROM THE FILTH OF SIN AND THE GUILT OF SIN, READ I JOHN 1:7.

**** AND DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB IS THE CLEANSING AGENT, THE SUPERNATURAL DETERGENT THAT CLEANSES A PERSON FROM THE DIRT AND FILTH OF SIN.

5. THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB IS A FREQUENT METAPHOR IN SCRIPTURE FROM CHRIST’S SACRIFICIAL DEATH ON THE CROSS WHICH PURCHASED SALVATION AND CLEANSING FOR HIS ELECT, THOSE HE DIED FOR.

* BLOOD AND LIFE ARE SYNONYMOUS, READ GENESIS 9:6, LEVITICUS 17:11.

** SO WHEN JESUS SHED HIS BLOOD HE WAS GIVING HIS LIFE AS AN ATONEMENT FOR SIN, READ MATTHEW 26:28, ACTS 20:28, ROMANS 5:9, EPHESIANS 1:7, EPHESIANS 2:13 AND HEBREWS 9:22.

*** NOW WITH ALL THOSE VERSES ON REDEMPTION BY BLOOD IN MIND, AS WE GO BACK TO V. 14, CHRIST’S SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH ATONED FOR A TRIBULATION BELIEVER’S SINS, AND BY REPENTANT FAITH THEY WERE JUSTIFIED AND RECONCILED TO GOD.

**** AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE IN JOHN’S VIEW AND VISION IN VV. 13&14, WHICH LEADS US TO THE POSITION OF THESE PEOPLE IN V. 15A. LOOK AT IT WITH ME PLEASE.

II. THE POSITION, (READ V. 15A)

A. NOW THE WHITE ROBES AND THE CLEANSING THEY PICTURE ARE THE BASIS FOR THE POSITION OF THIS SAVED MULTITUDE FROM THE TRIBULATION BEFORE THE THRONE.

* IN OTHER WORDS, “FOR THIS REASON” THE PHRASE AT THE BEGINNING OF V. 15, BECAUSE OF THAT, THEREFORE, THEY ARE BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD.

** THE THEREFORE, FOR THIS REASON POINTS US BACK TO V. 14 AS THE BASIS FOR THE MULTITUDES POSITION OR PRESENCE BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD.

*** THESE PEOPLE’S PURITY DERIVED FROM FAITH IN THE LAMB HAS FITTED THEM FOR THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND GIVEN THEM GROUNDS TO STAND BEFORE HIS THRONE.

**** BUT NOTICE AS WE MOVE ON IN V. 15, THAT THEIR POSITION OF STANDING BEFORE GOD’S THRONE DOES NOT MEAN IDLENESS FOR THIS GROUP.

1. FOR WHAT DO THEY DO?

* “THEY SERVE HIM DAY AND NIGHT IN HIS TEMPLE.”

** AND DAY AND NIGHT IS JUST AN EXPRESSION THAT THEY CONTINUOUSLY DO THIS. THIS IS CONSTANT. GLORIFIED PEOPLE NEED NO REST OR SLEEP. THIS IS UNCEASING, WITHOUT PAUSE.

*** WITHOUT END THEIR CONTINUOUS OCCUPATION IS TO SERVE GOD.

**** AND THE GREEK WORD FOR SERVE HERE, WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN IS LA-TRUE-O AND LIT. MEANS SERVICE OF SPIRITUAL WORSHIP, HOMAGE, SACRED SERVICE RENDERED UNTO THE LORD.

2. THIS IN A SENSE IS PRIESTLY SERVICE RENDERED TO GOD BEFORE HIS THRONE IN HEAVEN IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE, PRIESTLY WORSHIP, CONTINUAL WORSHIP WHICH IS GOING ON IN V. 10.

* AND ALTHOUGH THERE WILL BE NO TEMPLE IN THE NEW JERUSALEM, IN THE ETERNAL STATE IN REVELATION 21:22 “FOR THE LORD GOD THE ALMIGHTY AND THE LAMB ARE IT’S TEMPLE.”

** THE TIMEFRAME OF JOHN’S 4TH VISION HERE IS THE GREAT TRIBULATION, THE ETERNAL STATE IS ABOUT 1003 ½ YEARS OFF.

*** BUT THERE IS A TEMPLE IN HEAVEN BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD NOW.

**** AND THE HEAVENLY TEMPLE CURRENTLY IS THE HOLY DOMAIN WHERE GOD’S PRESENCE DWELLS IN HEAVEN OUTSIDE THIS FALLEN UNIVERSE.

3. BELOVED, THE TEMPLE OF GOD IS A PICTURE OF THE WHOLE OF HEAVEN AS A SANCTUARY IN WHICH GOD’S PEOPLE ARE PRIESTS IN A SENSE.

* AND THIS HEAVENLY TEMPLE STANDS IN THE EXISTING HEAVEN ACCORDING TO REVELATION 11:19 WHERE IT SAYS: AND THE TEMPLE OF GOD WHICH IS IN HEAVEN WAS OPENED; AND THE ARK OF HIS COVENANT APPEARED IN HIS TEMPLE, AND THERE WERE FLASHES OF LIGHTNING AND SOUNDS AND PEALS OF THUNDER AND AN EARTHQUAKE AND A GREAT HAILSTORM.

** SO THE LORD TODAY IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE IN HEAVEN WHERE EVEN THE TRIBULATION SAINTS WILL ONE DAY WORSHIP AND SERVE HIM, AND THAT IS THE POSITION OF THESE PEOPLE WHICH LEADS US TO OUR LAST POINT TODAY, WHICH IS GOD’S PROVISION OF HIS PEOPLE. LOOK BACK AT V. 15 PLEASE.

III. THE PROVISION, (READ V. 15)

A. NOW GOD, WHO SITS ON HIS THRONE, IS PICTURED HERE AS ONE WHO SPREADS HIS TABERNACLE OVER THESE PEOPLE HE SAVES OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

* AND THE WORD “TABERNACLE” OR “TENT” IS USED HERE, AND THE KJV AND NKJV EMPHASIZES HIS PRESENCE HERE, DWELLING OR TABERNACLING AMONG THEM.

** AND THIS TERMINOLOGY REFLECTS THE SHELTERING PRESENCE OF THE LORD. THE IMMEDIATE PRESENCE OF GOD TO SHELTER AND PROTECT FROM ALL HARM IS WHAT IS PROMISED HERE.

*** GOD DWELLS, COVERS, PROTECTS, TABERNACLES AMONG HIS PEOPLE. IN FACT, THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED TABERNACLE, TENT OR DWELL DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE IS USED IN JOHN 1:14 TO TALK ABOUT THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST, READ IT.

**** SO AS CHRIST DWELT IN A HUMAN BODY, TOOK ON A TEMPORARY TABERNACLE OF FLESH, SO GOD WILL DWELL OR TABERNACLE OVER HIS PEOPLE. HE SPREADS HIS PRESENCE OVER THESE PEOPLE, PROTECTING THEM.

1. AND THIS PROVISION OF HIS PRESENCE FOR PROTECTION IS IN VIEW IN THE REST OF THE VERSES THAT FOLLOW AS THESE BELIEVERS WHO HAVE COME OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION ARE MARTYRS WHO HAVE SUFFERED FOR THEIR FAITH, WHO HAVE BEEN PERSECUTED BY ANTI-CHRIST AND HIS FOLLOWERS.

* AND THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED GREATLY ARE PROTECTED AND GOD’S GRACIOUS PROVISION CONTINUES IN V. 16. LOOK AT V. 16 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 16. NOW THIS GRACIOUS COMFORTING PROMISE OF GOD’S PROVISION FOR THESE TRIBULATION SAINTS AND MARTYRS CONTINUES.

* AND V. 16 IS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO ISAIAH 49:10 WHERE IT SAYS: “THEY WILL NOT HUNGER OR THIRST, NOR WILL THE SCORCHING HEAT OR SUN STRIKE THEM DOWN; FOR HE WHO HAS COMPASSION ON THEM WILL LEAD THEM AND WILL GUIDE THEM TO SPRINGS OF WATER.”

*** WELL, IN V. 16 OF REVELATION 7, AS THESE MARTYRED SUFFERING TRIBULATION SAINTS HAD ENDURED SOME DIFFICULT TIMES ON EARTH BEFORE THEIR DEATH.

**** AND THEY GO FROM DIFFICULTY TO GOD’S PROVIDING FOR AND PROTECTING THEM.

1. BELOVED, AS THESE PEOPLE EXPERIENCED THE HORRORS OF THE TRIBULATION, THESE SUFFERING PERSECUTED SAINTS OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION HAD ENDURED, HUNGER, THIRST AND SCORCHING HEAT AS THE SUN BEAT DOWN ON THEM AS REFUGEES ON THE RUN FOR THEIR LIVES.

* MOST LIKELY HOMELESS, VAGABONDS ON THE RUN.

** BUT NOW THEY ARE EXPERIENCING GOD’S PROVISION, FOR ALL THE TORMENTING PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS OF EARTHLY LIFE, THEY WILL EXPERIENCE NO LONGER – PRAISE GOD!

*** RATHER, THEY WILL ENJOY ETERNAL SATISFACTION IN GOD AND GOD ALONE.

**** AND THE PROVISION CONTINUES IN V. 17. LOOK AT V. 17 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 17. NOW HERE WE HAVE THE MIXED METAPHOR, THE MIXED PICTURE, THE MIXED IMAGE OF THE LAMB WHO IS THE SHEPHERD.

* AND THIS BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF THE LAMB SHEPHERD IS ONE THAT IS GIVEN AS HE IS IN THE CENTER OR MIDST OF THE THRONE.

** AND WHAT A PROPER PLACE FOR THIS LAMB SHEPHERD TO DWELL OR TO BE IN, IN THE CENTER OF IT ALL, THE CENTRALITY OF THE LAMB SHEPHERD IN HEAVEN.

*** FOR HE WILL SHEPHERD THESE SHEEP, LIT. HE WILL PASTOR THESE SHEEP, HE WILL TEND TO HIS SHEEP, LEADING, FEEDING AND PROTECTING THEM.

**** EVEN LEADING AND GUIDING THEM TO THE SPRINGS OF THE WATER OF LIFE.

1. AND THESE SHEEP WILL NEVER THIRST OR HUNGER AGAIN FOR JESUS IS THE ONE WHO PROVIDES FOR AND SATISFIES US.

* THAT’S WHY JESUS COULD SAY IN JOHN 6:35 (READ IT).

** AND THIS IMAGE OF SATISFACTION AND PROVISION EVEN TAKES US TO PSALM 23, WHERE THE LORD IS OUR SHEPHERD, AND WHAT DOES HE DO? READ PSALM 23.

*** AND BELOVED AS WE RETURN TO THE LAMB SHEPHERD IN V. 17 OF REVELATION 7, HE GUIDES HIS SHEEP TO SPRINGS, FOUNTAINS OF THE WATER OF LIFE, SATISFYING THEM ETERNALLY.

**** BUT ALSO THE ALMIGHTY WHO IS ON THE THRONE IS INVOLVED IN THE PROVISION OF THESE TRIBULATION SAINTS, FOR “GOD WILL WIPE EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES.”

2. AND THESE SAINTS SAVED OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION WILL NEVER CRY AGAIN FROM PAIN, HEARTACHE AND SUFFERING.

* NOW EVERY TRACE OF SORROW IS TO BE REMOVED BY THE VERY HAND OF GOD!

** THE TEARS THAT ONCE WERE THEIRS WILL BE WIPED AWAY BY THE HAND OF ALMIGHTY GOD WHO SITS UPON HIS THRONE.

*** AND WE SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL PICTURE AGAIN IN REVELATION 21:4 IN THE NEW JERUSALEM WHERE IT SAYS, (READ IT).

**** AND DEAR ONES IN CHRIST, IN HEAVEN THERE WILL BE NO PAIN, SORROW OR SUFFERING TO CAUSE PAIN, GOD REMOVES THEM FOREVER!

IN WRAP UP AND IN SUMMARY: (1) TEARS ARE A PART OF OUR LIVES NOW. AND TEARS WHICH COME FROM PAIN, GRIEF AND SORROW NOW WILL BE REPLACED WITH JOY UNSPEAKABLE.

* IN FACT IT SAYS IN PSALM 126:5&6 (READ THEM).

** AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS SOWING IN TEARS LEADS TO REAPING IN JOY NOW AND LATER BY OUR LAMB SHEPHERD.

*** FOR HE IS THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT AND OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH.

**** AND I’M REMINDED OF GOD’S GREAT COMPASSION AND COMFORT IN PSALM 56:8 WHERE IT SAYS: (READ IT).

(2) AND BELOVED, WHEN I THINK OF THE LORD’S COMPASSION, COMFORT AND MERCY FOR HIS OWN I AM DRIVEN TO WORSHIP FOR HE IS OUR GREAT SHEPHERD GOD WHO TAKES GREAT CARE OF HIS SHEEP USING EVEN THE VALLEY ROUTE TO TAKE US TO HIGHER GROUND.

* CHRISTIAN, OUR LAMB SHEPHERD IS THE ONE WHO PERFECTLY SUPPLIES HIS GRACE NOW AND FOREVER MORE FOR HIS OWN.

** IN SUMMARY, WHAT DO WE SEE IN OUR TEXT TODAY, A DIVINE STANDING FOR THESE TRIBULATION SAINTS, A DIVINE SERVICE RENDERED TO HIM, A DIVINE SECURITY AND SUPPLY FROM OUR GREAT GOD.

*** WE SEE A DIVINE SHEPHERD AND A GOD WHO GIVES DIVINE SYMPATHY.

**** TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, WE SEE PERFECT PRESENCE WITH THE LORD, PERFECT SATISFACTION AND CONTENTMENT, PERFECT SECURITY, PERFECT GUIDANCE AND PERFECT JOY AND COMFORT.

(3) I CLOSE WITH PSALM 116:12 AS A QUESTION IN RESPONSE TO OUR DIVINE AND PERFECT LAMB SHEPHERD. READ IT AND QUOTE "LOVE SO AMAZING SO DIVINE" AND PRAY.