Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:13-17
God comforts people. He is the God of all comfort. And whatever we endure here, will pale in comparison to what He has waiting for us.
In his vision, John sees that there is a group of people who will endure perhaps the most difficult time in human history. (Jesus called it Jacob’s trouble). John simply identifies it as The Great Tribulation. It is characterized by worldwide economic difficulty, famine, natural disasters, including terrible heat and likely long periods of drought. For those believers who will stand for their faith and endure… there awaits a place near God’s throne, covered by him with a tent, just to remind them of His great care. While the tribulation period will be accompanied by unimaginable loss and sadness, in heaven, God will wipe every tear.
Am I prepared for trouble and tribulation? How has God’s comfort been available to me in this life?
God, as this day begins- I pray You would help me connect with people in our church to script some wonderful experiences this week of joy and communication so that no one feels isolated. Give me a well-fit message to share and assist anyone who has difficulty with technology. Thank you that in tribulation, I can have peace by Your presence and comfort as well.
For additional reading: A Dialogue of Comfort against Tribulation by Thomas More.
